‘Full disclosure’: Marcos unveils AI-powered infra transparency portal

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

TRANSPARENCY PORTAL. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. unveils an AI-powered transparency portal on Monday (Nov. 24, 2025), promising to rip open the black box of infrastructure spending. The President urged the public to scrutinize projects and report irregularities. (PCO photo)

MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday unveiled a new AI-driven transparency portal for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), framing it as the government’s strongest reform measure yet after months of explosive revelations over ghost projects, kickbacks, and anomalies in flood control projects.

In a press briefing in Malacañang, Marcos described the portal as the “third phase” of his administration’s response to the scandal.

After identifying defective or nonexistent projects and pinpointing those responsible, the next step, he said, is systemic reform.

“One of the things that became very clear in all of these investigations is that we lost transparency,” he said.

“Hindi nakikita ng tao kung ano talaga ang pangyayari sa loob ng pamahalaan (People could no longer see what was actually happening inside government).”

He cited even local chief executives being blocked by contractors from inspecting projects.

“That’s how bad the transparency situation was,” Marcos said.

The DPWH Transparency Portal allows anyone to search infrastructure projects by location and instantly see implementing offices, contractors, budgets, accomplishments, target dates, procurement data, and official documents, the President explained.

Users may tag projects as completed, defective, duplicate, unfinished, or ghost.

The portal, which complements the Sumbong sa Pangulo website launched to report anomalous flood control projects, features geotagged photos from pre-construction to completion, and satellite images supplied by the Philippine Space Agency and private partners.

Procurement livestreams, including real-time bidding proceedings, are also integrated.

“Ginagawa natin full disclosure dahil karapatan malaman ng lahat kung paano ginagastos ang pera ng bayan (We’re doing full disclosure because everyone has the right to know how public funds are spent),” Marcos said.

To make searches easier, the portal includes a conversational AI assistant in Filipino and English.

“Dinisenyo ito para kahit hindi ka techie, madaling gamitin (It’s designed so even non-techie users can navigate it easily),” he added.

The portal may be accessed through: https://www.transparency.dpwh.gov.ph/

The President urged the public to scrutinize projects and report irregularities.

“Huwag kayong magdalawang-isip. Isumbong ninyo (Don’t hesitate. Report it),” he said.

As the administration continues its sweeping corruption probe and as cases advance in the Ombudsman and Sandiganbayan, Marcos framed transparency as the key to rebuilding trust.

“Sunlight is the best medicine,” he said. “Open everything up to the sunlight because the people need to know.”