Mayors launch whistleblower hotline for corruption in infra works
MANILA, Philippines — A coalition of reform-minded city and municipal mayors has launched a hotline that lets the public flag ghost, substandard, or overpriced infrastructure projects.
The platform, called REPORT INFRA, was rolled out Thursday, October 16, by the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG), a group of local executives pushing for cleaner and more transparent local governments.
"The new initiative seeks to curb corruption in public works by providing a safe and accessible channel for citizens, government employees, contractors, and local stakeholders to share verified information or evidence of anomalous practices," the M4GG said in a statement Thursday.
The public can submit tips through a hotline (02) 8459-0143, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or via online through bit.ly/reportinfraph and mayorsforgoodgovernance.ph/reportinfraph and mayorsforgoodgovernance.ph/reportinfraph
M4GG said the hotline — which it touted as "safe and accessible" — is meant to make it easier for citizens to share verified information or evidence of anomalies in local public works projects.
Why mayors are backing the hotline
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, one of the group’s convenors, said the effort builds on growing frustration over how corruption has persisted despite repeated investigations and policy reforms.
“We need whistleblowers who will expose the graft and corrupt practices being done in their areas,” Sotto said in the statement. “If we want genuine and lasting change to happen in our country, we all have to do our own share to hold these corrupt officials accountable.”
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, also part of the coalition, said the hotline aims to turn citizen vigilance into usable data.
“Corruption in our government is a huge problem,” Magalong said. “We need our fellow citizens to help in finding information and evidence about the irregularities committed in their localities.”
Each submission will be reviewed by a technical and legal team working with M4GG. Verified reports will be endorsed to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) — the same body currently looking into corruption in public works projects, including the possibility of collusion among officials and contractors.
Both the M4GG and ICI signed a memorandum of understanding in September that covers several areas of cooperation in hunting down corruption in infrastructure works, with the hotline one of the projects initially touted.
Another M4GG convenor, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, said member-mayors of their group have already been asked to comb through projects carried out by the DPWH in their areas since 2015.
A similar crowdsourcing platform was launched by the Office of the President in August — the sumbongsapangulo website — where the platform also allows the public to view the status of and reports related to alleged corrupt flood control works.
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