DAVAO CITY (October 28) — The Catholic Church has joined the growing national campaign to fight corruption in infrastructure projects, partnering with the government and civic groups to monitor the implementation of public works across the country.
Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Mayors for Good Governance, and several civil society organizations to promote transparency and accountability in the construction sector.
The partnership will allow parishes and local community groups to help identify ghost or substandard projects and report irregularities directly to a joint monitoring body.
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, national president of Caritas Philippines, said dioceses will mobilize their social action centers to track ongoing DPWH projects in their areas.
“We will assist in monitoring ongoing projects, especially those that may be ghost or substandard,” Bagaforo said. “Our parishes will rally volunteers to check on DPWH projects and report what they see.”
Bagaforo added that beyond exposing anomalies, the Church seeks to provide moral guidance to public officials and contractors involved in infrastructure projects.
“We hope to enlighten and guide those in positions of power, not just criticize,” he said.
The memorandum also calls for a citizen reporting system, documentation of verified findings, and prompt DPWH action on confirmed irregularities — part of a broader push for good governance and clean infrastructure spending in the wake of recent corruption scandals in public works.
