The Cebu Provincial Government launched the Cebu Infrastructure Project Management Monitoring System (CIPMMS), a free, mobile-friendly online dashboard developed by its ICTO to track local infrastructure projects in real time.
The system aims to stop "ghost projects" by allowing citizens, contractors, and local leaders to monitor progress, submit photos, and report discrepancies, which can serve as grounds for project termination.
Following an overhaul by Governor Pamela Baricuatro, the CPPDO cut project processing times from up to 270 days down to 137 days using simplified steps and QR code document tracking.
THE Cebu Provincial Government has launched a new online portal that allows the public to track local infrastructure projects in real time.
The digital dashboard is designed to stop "ghost projects" by giving everyday citizens the power to report delays and check if actual construction matches official reports.
The new system is called the Cebu Infrastructure Project Management Monitoring System (CIPMMS). It tracks all provincially funded projects from the very beginning of the bidding process until the construction is completely finished.
The mobile-friendly dashboard was built entirely in-house by the province's Information and Communication Technology Office (ICTO), meaning it was developed at zero cost to taxpayers.
"It's an infrastructure portal that is available for all, whether you're here or outside. It is available online. It's focused on Capitol projects that are funded and implemented by the province," said Elizar Sabinay Jr. of the Cebu Provincial Planning and Development Office (CPPDO) in an interview on Monday, June 8, 2026.
Sabinay explained that the portal aims to bring transparency and accountability to how government funds are spent. In the past, ghost projects could happen because dishonest contractors could submit progress reports and photos without anyone independently verifying them.
The new portal fixes this by letting citizens, provincial employees, contractors, and local leaders monitor the work. It features a public feedback section where residents can upload their own photos and comments.
"If there's an award, then based on the progress, if you submit to the Treasurer's Office it's already 20 percent complete, but in actuality there's none, that could be a ground for termination," Sabinay said.
To add another layer of protection, a Cebu provincial employee must now personally visit the site and submit photos before any civil works can be officially declared complete.
The launch of the dashboard comes alongside a massive cleanup of the Capitol's slow paperwork process. Previously, it took anywhere from 214 to 270 calendar days (seven to nine months) for a project to go from a proposal to paying the contractor because of confusing requirements and repetitive steps.
Following a process overhaul ordered by Governor Pamela Baricuatro, the CPPDO simplified operations. This successfully cut the processing time down to just 137 days, or about four to five months.
As part of this faster system, physical documents are now marked with QR codes. Special Systems Improvement Officers scan these codes the moment a document enters an office, automatically tracking exactly how long it sits in each department. To make sure employees take this seriously, compliance with the system makes up 20 percent of a department's score in the Capitol's reactivated Performance Awards program.
The province is already planning its next steps toward a fully digital government. Sabinay stated that Phase 2 will introduce full digital automation and electronic signatures, which is expected to slash processing times even further to between 20 days and a single month.
Additionally, the Provincial Government is preparing to launch a social services dashboard within the next two to three weeks. This upcoming platform has already streamlined the process for residents applying for medical, burial, and financial assistance, dropping wait times from a long three months down to just about 20 days.