By Azer N. Parrocha
Senate turns 100: Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III (4th from right) is joined by (from left) Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto, Senators Loren Legarda, Nancy Binay, Joel Villanueva, Juan Edgardo Angara, JV Ejercito, and Juan Miguel Zubiri during the Senate Centennial Dinner and Reunion on Wednesday (October 5, 2016). Pimente said the current Senate is proud to continue its role as the vibrant repository of the country’s democratic ideals. (PNA photo courtesy of Senate PRIB)
MANILA (PNA) –To ensure transparency and efficiency, a senator on Monday pushed for the creation of a web-based monitoring of the implementation of infrastructure projects at the provincial level.
This web-based monitoring system is part of a measure authored by Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson that seeks to ensure that resources from the national government are downloaded to the local government units (LGUs).
Under Senate Bill 40, Lacson said that he wanted web-based monitoring systems set up to monitor and evaluate programs funded by the local development funds.
Lacson said such a system could take a cue from that being implemented in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which uses apps like Google Maps.
“I would suggest (that this be implemented at the) provincial level. Provincial governments should replicate the ARMM’s map-based solution,” Lacson said.
Lacson noted that by giving the LGUs the chance to be active participants in the development of the country, this could end the culture of mendicancy and political patronage that thrive in the current system.
He explained that this way, provincial governments could ensure their constituents are informed and updated on the progress of infrastructure projects.
The senator said that information accessible to the public may include funding/cost, location, contractor, progress status, number of beneficiaries, date of completion and responsible government official.
An initial PHP100 million will be appropriated for such a system.