Lacson vows to end ghost projects through geo-tagging

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson promised to put a stop to ghost infrastructure projects through a geo-tagging system that he will implement within the first 100 days of his term when he becomes president in 2022.

Lacson said that a geo-tagging system will provide an open data visualization platform containing all public infrastructure projects, which means that all projects – even ghost projects – will be visible to the public.

He added that he will impose zero tolerance to erring contractors and their benefactors.

According to Lacson, spending on infrastructure provides the best value for the government’s money, but he stressed that the public must see tangible gains such as easing of traffic, reduction of transport costs, and connecting of people.

He added that he will sustain and continue infra spending for priority projects – such as those on transport systems for food supply chain, inter-island connectivity, regional food terminals and health facilities – by realistically setting targets that are time-bound and implementable.

Lacson said that he will also prioritize the creation of climate-resilient infrastructure, and will stop the practice of the so-called “preventive maintenance,” where contractors repeatedly fix roads that are not broken.

All these are linked with his efforts to invest in and implement a National Broadband Program to connect, unify and automate all government processes for “efficient business transactions, increased revenue collections, and eradication of corruption in all levels of our bureaucracy.