The government’s drive for transparency in local governance has been further heightened with the launching of SubayBAYAN or Subaybayan ang Proyekto ng Bayan, an online platform on the implementation of the locally-funded projects (LFPs) being administered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

DILG OIC-Secretary Eduardo M. Año says that more than a repository of information, SubayBAYAN will enable the public to have firsthand documentation on the development of various project implementations in their respective local government units (LGUs), creating a check and balance environment.

"As what the name implies, the public can 'keep an eye' on the infrastructure and water projects being carried out by LGUs all over the country through SubayBAYAN to push them to fasttrack project implementation and ensure that government funds are being spent wisely and judiciously," says Año.

The DILG Chief says that SubayBAYAN, accessible online through the DILG website www.dilg.gov.ph, provides real time information on various projects' physical and financial status; information on actual location of projects thru map overlays and dashboard graphical representations; offers feedback mechanisms; and like and share information thru social media like Facebook.

"SubayBAYAN is your one-stop-shop to monitor a DILG-initiated project. Kung magkakaroon po kayo ng pagkakataon na mabisita ang website ng SubayBAYAN, you will see a certain project's financial accomplishment, its progress report. You can even comment on it right there and then, your voice will be heard," he adds.

The online application system caters to all LFPs being overseen by the DILG’s Office of Project Development Services such as the Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig sa Lahat (SALINTUBIG), Assistance to Municipalities (AM) for 2018 onwards, Assistance to Disadvantaged Municipalities (ADM) for 2017, Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB) for 2013-2016, BuB Local Government Support Fund (BuB-LGSF) and Recovery Assistance on Yolanda (RAY) for 2013-2014.

Other integrated projects in SubayBAYAN are Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana), Special Local Road Fund (SLRF), Konkreto at Ayos na Lansangan ang Daan tungo sa Pangkalahatang Kaunlaran (KALSADA), Bohol Earthquake Assistance (BEA) for 2014, and Conditional Matching Grant to Provinces (CMGP).

According to Año, these projects are helping to improve the lives of many Filipinos which is why making information available through SubayBAYAN gives a full scope of a project's development until it is ready for public consumption.

The said online platform also aids in changing logs and audit trail that keep track of all the changes and transactions in the system and management of 'project-at-risk' data that allows DILG users to view and manage projects at risk before ending in to critical state.