Manila: The government’s new online public grievance platform for ineffective flood control projects, ‘Sumbong sa Pangulo,’ received more than 1,100 reports and over 800 feedback submissions within three days of its launch, Malaca±ang said Thursday.
According to Philippines News Agency, in a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro reported that from Aug. 11 to 13, the website sumbongsapangulo.ph logged 84,892 total views, 1,148 reports, and 823 feedback messages.
Launched on Aug. 11, the platform allows citizens to directly raise complaints, concerns, or suggestions to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Office of the President. The initiative aims to provide a centralized and accessible channel for the public to air grievances and give feedback on government services, particularly in flood control projects.
Castro mentioned that Marcos has instructed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to blacklist contractors behind ineffective flood control projects. The President had previously emphasized that citizen participation is crucial in detecting anomalies and ensuring transparency in the implementation of the PHP545-billion flood control program since mid-July 2022 when his term started.
The launch of the reporting platform follows the President’s directive in his fourth State of the Nation Address to audit flood control projects, as the government vowed to improve transparency and ensure accountability in infrastructure spending. Marcos has committed to personally read the complaints as his government investigates questionable flood control projects across the country.
