Pasig City Vice Mayor Robert “Dodot” Jaworski Jr. warned corrupt barangay officials that once they are reported for wrongdoing, they will be sent to jail, stressing that transparency and accountability must begin at the barangay level.

Jaworski made the statement during a recent city council session that discussed barangay officials who fail to make their financial documents public, emphasizing the ongoing local government reforms with transparency and accountability as top priorities.

“Here in the City of Pasig, we have already started reforming our local government. And it should not stop within the four corners of our city hall. We have to start implementing real transparency and accountability all the way down to the barangay level as well," he said.

Jaworski stressed that good governance must begin at the barangay level, where officials serve as the frontliners of public service.

"Pero kung hindi natin maitutulak at hindi maniniwala ang ating mga barangay officials na tunay ang ginagawa nating mga pagbabago dito sa ating lungsod at sila'y exempted sa pagbabago, they do not belong in this city as leaders (But if we cannot convince our barangay officials to believe in the genuine reforms we are implementing in our city, and if they think they are exempted from these changes, they do not belong in this city as leaders)," he added.

He said now is the right time for Pasigueños to choose better public servants and reject officials who treat public funds as their personal resources.

"These are public coffers. This money belongs to the people of Pasig, not the barangay officials," the vice mayor stated.

The vice mayor also warned that barangay officials who misuse public funds will be held accountable and will be sent to jail.

"And I want that stated loud and clear and a stern warning to barangay officials lalo na 'yung mga bato bato sa langit tamaan ang magalit. Subukan n’yo kami ngayon. This council means business. Kapag meron mag-complain sa ginagawa ninyong pagnanakaw sa barangay ipakukulong namin kayo! (Try us now. This council means business. If anyone complains about your thefts in the barangay, we will have you jailed!).”

City Councilor Volta Delos Santos also criticized barangay officials who refused to livestream their budget deliberations, saying budget transparency is not covered by data privacy.

“Dapat transparent po tayo hindi lang sa lungsod ng Pasig, hindi lang sa mga barangay, pero sa kabuuan sa atin pong bansa (We must be transparent not only in the City of Pasig, not only in the barangays, but throughout our entire nation). We should stop electing idiots in this government," Delos Santos said.

Meanwhile, the vice mayor assured Pasigueños that the city government remains committed to clean and honest governance.

"Habang nandito po kami sa city hall na ito, babaguhin namin ang pagpapatakbo. Ipapakita po natin na kailangan natin ng malinis na pamahalaan (As long as we are here in this city hall, we will change the way things are run. We will show that what we need is clean governance),” Jaworski assured.

"It's too much, and it's been going on too long. We have to start changing things. We will do it, and we're serious," he continued.