Geotagging mandated to curb 'ghost projects'

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Philstar.com

December 2, 2025 | 11:21am

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) on Tuesday announced it is fast-tracking the final approval of a new policy that will require mandatory GPS-based geotagging for all government infrastructure projects.

This move is aimed squarely at eliminating ghost projects, stopping falsified billings, and ensuring the verifiable use of public funds.

The proposed issuance, formally titled “Mandatory Geotagging for All Infrastructure Projects of National Government Agencies, Local Government Units, and Government-owned and Controlled Corporations” mandates verifiable, location-based photographic evidence at every stage of project completion and within the warranty period after completion.

“The public has repeatedly demanded tighter safeguards against the misuse of funds, and this policy is our direct response. Geotagging that will ensure that when the government pays for a project, we know exactly where it is, when it was done, and what was actually built,” said COA chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba.

Under this new policy, government agencies and contractors must submit geotagged photos that include the exact GPS coordinates of the project, along with the date and time of the photo was taken. Crucially, no infrastructure project can be reported as completed, and ideally no payment may be released, unless the required geotagged photos are submitted and verified by COA auditing teams.

COA said the policy is moving through the review process.

It added that the initial draft was completed in September and shared with internal stakeholders in October for comments and suggestions. On November 7, 2025, the revised version was circulated to major implementing agencies for their technical and operational inputs, with a request for comments on or before November 25, 2025.

The issuance aligns with Article IX-D of the 1987 Constitution, which empowers COA to define audit techniques and methods to ensure the proper use of government funds, and reinforces existing transparency provisions in the General Appropriations Act.

“Let this be clear, the proper use of taxpayer funds is non-negotiable and we will hold projects accountable to deliver measurable benefits for every Filipino community,” Cordoba added.

COA said it is currently participating in an inter-agency coordination on the use of satellite imagery data through the Philippine Space Agency, led by the Department of Economy, Planning and Development, which is seen to complement the geotagging requirements.