Manila: New transparency mechanisms and digital governance initiatives have been introduced for the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to strengthen accountability in the agricultural and irrigation sectors, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Thursday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Pangilinan, who introduced the mechanisms, announced that the DA and the NIA will soon launch an infrastructure transparency dashboard. This platform will allow the public to verify every farm-to-market road and bridge project against its budget and timeline.

Pangilinan highlighted the ease with which citizens can now track the allocation of their taxes, stating, "Mas madali nang makita ng tao kung saan napupunta ang pera nila (It will now be easy for the people to see where their taxes go to). That is evidence of good governance (and) transparency." As the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, Pangilinan emphasized the significance of such initiatives.

The DA is set to introduce a citizen participatory audit program in collaboration with the Commission on Audit (COA). This initiative will involve the public in real-time monitoring of projects, enhancing transparency and accountability.

Pangilinan expressed support for efforts to fortify internal audit mechanisms, expand public access to procurement and project data, and incorporate digital tools to reduce red tape and curb irregularities in project implementation. He stressed the ongoing need for transparency reforms to ensure government programs deliver tangible benefits to farmers, fisherfolk, and urban communities.