Philippines launches transparency portals for government agencies

Move comes amidst a flood control corruption scandal.

The Philippines, which is currently embroiled in a flood control corruption scandal that is making headlines globally, has rolled out transparency portals for government agencies.

The first entities to get their dedicated transparency portals are the Department of Public Works and Highways, Social Security System, and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

The respective portals of other government agencies will be going live as well in the coming weeks, according to Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda.

He said the move is part of the country's wider vision when it comes to digital governance and is in line with the government's "Bagong Pilipinas" (New Philippines) campaign under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who wants to restore public trust with the help of technology.

Powered by artificial intelligence, the portals will allow users to easily access information on government spending and enable the Filipino public to serve as watchdogs.

Aguda pointed out that these transparency platforms will be the norm for government agencies in the Philippines moving forward. The initiative comes following the discovery of billions of dollars' worth of corruption-based irregularities in flood control projects in the country.