Church joins the fight against corruption in public works

The social action arm of the Catholic Church, Caritas Philippines, has partnered with government agencies and civil society groups to monitor public infrastructure projects and help curb corruption nationwide.

Through a newly signed memorandum of cooperation, Caritas Philippines teamed up with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Mayors for Good Governance, and other civic organizations to promote transparency and accountability in government public works.

The initiative seeks to expand the government’s oversight of alleged irregularities in flood control and infrastructure projects across the country. Local parishes and community groups will be empowered to report and monitor substandard or “ghost” projects within their areas.

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of Caritas Philippines, said the Church will mobilize dioceses through their social action centers to help track government projects at the community level.

“Through these ministries, we will assist in monitoring ongoing projects, especially those that may be ghost or substandard,” Bagaforo said during the signing event on Friday.

Caritas volunteers will visit project sites to observe the implementation of DPWH works and submit verified reports to the joint monitoring group.

“We are ready to offer our manpower. Our parishes and local churches will rally volunteers to go around and check the DPWH projects,” he added.

The bishop emphasized that the Church’s involvement is not only to expose wrongdoing but also to provide moral guidance to officials and project implementers:

“Beyond criticism, we hope to give moral guidance to local officials and project implementers—especially those involved in anomalies—so they may be enlightened,” Bagaforo said.

The memorandum outlines plans to establish a reporting system for irregular projects, promote citizen participation, and strengthen good governance in public infrastructure. Local monitoring teams are tasked with documenting findings, submitting verified reports, and ensuring that shared data is responsibly used.

The DPWH has pledged to act promptly on confirmed reports of irregularities and uphold transparency and accountability under existing laws.