Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has rolled out a new program tapping engineering students and civil society groups to monitor government infrastructure projects, expanding oversight as the city strengthens its procurement reforms.
Sotto announced that the project, called “Citizen Monitoring of Infrastructure Projects,” will involve students from Rizal Technological University and accredited civil society organizations to observe both the city government and private contractors handling local projects. The initiative deploys independent monitors across different stages, from planning to implementation, to ensure accountability on the ground.
“Dito ngayon papasok ang ‘Citizen Monitoring of Infrastructure Projects.’ Ang ating mga CSOs at RTU engineering students ang magbabantay sa gobyerno at sa mga contractor sa mga proyekto ng LGU,” Sotto said.
The program follows Pasig’s earlier reforms that drove down contract prices through stricter procurement processes. Sotto said this created a new challenge, as some contractors may submit very low bids but later deliver substandard or incomplete work.
“Ang sunod na challenge, paano kung mag-dive ang mga kontratistang bidder, tapos ang balak pala ay substandard o kulang ang gawa?” he said.
Sotto said the city is addressing this risk by strengthening third-party monitoring, ensuring that infrastructure projects are not only properly priced but also built to the right standards and responsive to public needs. The approach broadens oversight beyond government, bringing in external monitors as part of regular project implementation.
He said the initiative forms part of a broader reform agenda that includes cleaning up systems, improving procurement processes without compromising safeguards, and institutionalizing changes to ensure long-term implementation and consistent project quality.
