The most anticipated plenary session of the 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo (PBC&E) took place on 21 October at the SMX Convention Center, highlighting efforts to use digital technology in curbing government corruption.

Plenary Session 3, titled “Trust by Design: Tech-Driven Governance and Digital Transformation for the Greater Good,” featured Public Works Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon and Benjamin Tan, ASEAN Solution Engineering senior manager at Salesforce.

Addressing the crowd, Dizon took aim at corruption in infrastructure projects, especially flood control, and emphasized technology’s role in restoring public trust.

“The era of unbridled stealing of the people’s money has come to an end,” Dizon declared.

He said he was invited by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Chair Dennis Anthony Uy, and upon assuming office at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), was told by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to “disrupt” the agency to initiate reforms.

During early investigations, Dizon recounted that nearly every district engineer responded the same way when asked about contractors: “Hindi po namin alam ang ginagawa nila.” (“We don’t know what they’re doing.”)

He cited an example in Davao Occidental where a project was paid in full in 2022, yet lacked proof of progress. He said such cases are widespread and underscored the need for digital transparency.

Dizon credited Uy for offering a tech team to build a transparency portal for DPWH projects. While government transparency is legally mandated, Dizon said implementation has been poor.

Citing proposals from Sen. Bam Aquino and others, Dizon said tools like automation and blockchain could help standardize transparency.

Tan, speaking from Singapore’s experience, shared how digital systems and AI automation are already used in sectors like civil defense and transport. These systems help track data, identify misuse, and offer accountability, he said.

In one case, AI helped detect a “killer train” in Singapore’s transport system that caused unexplained stoppages—an issue fixed in two days thanks to pattern recognition, Tan said.

Dizon said the Philippines can follow suit. The DPWH, in partnership with PCCI, is waiting for presidential approval to launch the transparency portal. He noted that data gathered so far covers 15 agencies allegedly involved in corruption, including the Land Transportation Office, Bureau of Customs, and Civil Aviation Authority.

He stressed that “trillions, not billions” of pesos have been lost over the years, adding that the amount stolen in a single month could fund a one-year budget.

Change may take time—possibly two administrations—but Dizon said this marks a starting point. He also revealed that the government is using the Civil Forfeiture Law to recover assets from involved officials, saying the President authorized its use due to the severity of the cases.

Dizon ended his remarks with a strong promise: Filipinos will see the apprehension and conviction of everyone involved, regardless of rank.