DPWH, PhilSA ink partnership for infra projects monitoring

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has tapped the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) to strengthen the monitoring of infrastructure projects in the country through the use of satellite technology.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon and PhilSA officer-in-charge Gay Jane Perez signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Monday, which would allow the DPWH to access satellite imagery and other space-enabled technology for project monitoring and validation.

"Alam ninyo naman na isa sa mga mabibigat na nadiskubre natin na problema dito sa DPWH is yung maayos na pagmo-monito ng mga proyekto. Kaya nakalusot itong ghost projects, itong mga napakalantarang paglilinlang o panloloko sa taumbayan ay dahil hindi namo-monitor nang maiigi,” Dizon said.

(One of the biggest discoveries we had in the DPWH is that the lack of monitoring enabled the ghost projects to become rampant.)

“Isa ito sa mga gagawin nitong partnership na ito: makahanap ng mga paraan para makapag-monitor nang epektibo ang mga proyekto ng DPWH," said Dizon.

(This is one of the goals we have for the partnership: to search for tools we can use to effectively monitor the projects.)

Under the partnership, the PhilSA will provide technical support and satellite images which the DPWH can use to validate and track the progress of their ongoing projects.

“Ang unique data na ibinibigay natin dito ay mga imahe, kuha ng satellites natin. Sa pamamagitan nito, we can quantify at makikita natin na walang biases ang mga proyekto on the ground,"said Perez.

(The unique data we will provide are the satellite images. With this, we can quantify and monitor the projects without biases.)

”With the satellite imagery and space-enabled information, madalas din ang ating pag-monitor. Sa loob ng isang taon, pwede natin itong makita nang madaming beses. Simula nung kino-conceptualize, ginagawa at nakumpleto,"she added.

(With the satellite imagery and space-enabled information, we can also monitor the projects and track their progress from conceptualization to completion.)

Dizon said the move is among the reforms in the DPWH amid the alleged anomalous flood control projects.

In July, then-DPWH Secretary Manuel “Manny” Bonoan admitted the agency has no monitoring system in place for some flood control projects—specifically those inserted by lawmakers into the national budget without undergoing technical vetting. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News