BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio City government is teaming up with the British Embassy to improve transparency and accountability in local infrastructure projects, especially those related to water security.

According to Aileen R. Refuerzo of the Baguio City Public Information Office, Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong said the partnership is part of the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative (CoST), which aims to make project data more accessible to the public.

The mayor stressed that “giving people clear information about how public funds are spent helps build trust and ensures projects meet the city’s needs,” Ms. Refuerzo added.

The collaboration accordingly includes mapping and reviewing existing project data, consulting with agencies like the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center and working with local water authorities. A key output will be a transparency roadmap to guide better data management.

Baguio City also plans to upgrade its infrastructure transparency portal to be more interactive and user-friendly.

Training for city staff and the development of new data standards are also part of the plan, according to the Baguio City public information office.

Baguio is also considering getting ISO 37001 certification, an international anti-bribery standard. This would require audits, new systems, and staff training, possibly starting with a limited scope to make the process easier.

Mr. Magalong had said the city hopes to be a model for other local governments, “showing that open data and community involvement can lead to better, more accountable infrastructure development.”— Artemio A. Dumlao

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