The Commission on Audit (CoA) is fast-tracking a strict new policy requiring GPS-based geotagging for all government infrastructure projects to root out ghost projects, stopping falsified billings, and ensuring public funds are verifiably spent.

Under the policy, agencies and contractors must submit geotagged photos showing exact GPS coordinates and timestamps. 

No project can be reported as completed, and ideally, no payment may be released, without verification by CoA audit teams.

“The public has repeatedly demanded tighter safeguards against the misuse of funds, and this policy is our direct response,” CoA Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba said on Tuesday. 

“Geotagging will ensure that when the government pays for a project, we know exactly where it is, when it was done, and what was actually built,” he added.

The issuance, formally titled “Mandatory Geotagging for All Infrastructure Projects of National Government Agencies, Local Government Units, and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations,” reinforces Article IX-D of the 1987 Constitution and transparency provisions under the General Appropriations Act.

“The proper use of taxpayer funds is non-negotiable, and we will hold projects accountable to deliver measurable benefits for every Filipino community,” Cordova said. 

Likewise, he added that the audit body is now coordinating with the Philippine Space Agency through the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development on satellite imagery to strengthen geotagging enforcement.