Recto: A benevolent Big Brother-is-watching management and diagnostic tool

Senator Ralph Recto recently suggested Boracay and Marawi City rehabilitation be included in Project Digital Imaging for Monitoring and Evaluation (Project DIME), a collaboration between the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The program uses drones, satellite imaging, data acquisition technology, among other tools in order to monitor infrastructure projects.

The senator noted the project’s livestreaming function will encourage work to be completed on time, along with allowing for remote monitoring by overseas-based homeowners to observe the progress on the construction of their homes.

He called the project a “benevolent Big Brother-is-watching management and diagnostic tool.”

“The Office of the President can even convert one of Malacañang’s halls into an infrastructure ‘war room;’ a command center of the Build, Build, Build program,” Recto suggested. “Why wait for powerpoint presentations during cabinet meetings when the president can go on a virtual inspection of projects from the comfort of his office?”

While the Marawi City rehabilitation is ongoing, following last year’s siege on the Lanao del Sur capital, which left over 1,000 dead, a majority of the casualties being militant fighters; the planned Boracay rehabilitation is set to begin next week, April 26, resulting in the closure of the popular resort destination./WDJ