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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider Ex-COA commissioner urges LGUs to learn good governance from Pasig

Ex-COA commissioner urges LGUs to learn good governance from Pasig

Published Mar 27, 2026 04:05 pm
“Gutom ka ba sa good governance? Heto, matuto sa Pasig! (Do you want good governance? Learn from Pasig)."
This was stated by former Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Heidi Mendoza following the inauguration of new electric minibuses worth P19,948,000 by the Pasig local government, highlighting their transparency.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto present during the inauguration of five new electric minibuses that aim to boost the city’s Libreng Sakay Program highlighted efforts especially amid the ongoing oil crisis. (Photo from Mayor Vico Sotto)
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto present during the inauguration of five new electric minibuses that aim to boost the city’s Libreng Sakay Program highlighted efforts especially amid the ongoing oil crisis. (Photo from Mayor Vico Sotto)
Mendoza admired how transparent the local government of Pasig was, saying, “Nakakatuwa! Umaagos ang pag-asa! Sa Pasig, hindi itinatago ang presyo. Kasi totoo, walang kupit! (So heartwarming! Hope is flowing! In Pasig, prices are not hidden. Because it’s true—no one cheats!).”
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto announced that each of the five new electric minibuses costs P3,989,600. Each unit has a seating capacity of 22, with space for an additional eight standing passengers per trip.
For Mendoza, the city’s transparency serves as a good example for auditors, suggesting that Pasig’s pricing could be used as a reference to help easily identify overpricing in other government agencies.
She added that in other LGUs, officials might be more focused on how much the “share” is, which refers to what sometimes happens in cases of corruption.
“Hindi lang yun, kung sa ibang LGU ang kinakareer ay magkano ang hatian, dito,
yung pag-aayos ng ToR! (Not only that—in other LGUs, the focus might be on how much the ‘share’ would be, but here, it is on properly arranging the terms of reference),” she said.
She said that planning is critical in the procurement process. She also noted that Pasig is careful in laying out the needs and specifications to make the requirements clear for suppliers who want to bid.
“Meron din silang Project Mgt Office dahil malaki ang procurement transactions nila, bukod pa ang contract review and monitoring. Atgumagana rin ang blocklisting… san pa kayo? (They also have a Project Management Office because their procurement transactions are large, in addition to contract review and monitoring. They also implement blocklisting… where else can you find that?),” she stated.
The former commissioner also urged the public who want good governance to share what Pasig City is doing, emphasizing, “Para mapressure na gumaya at gumawa ng tama ang bawat sangay ng pamahalaan lalo na ang mga lokal magmula sa ating Barangay! (This is to put pressure on every branch of government, especially local units starting from our barangays, to follow suit and do things properly!).”
On Monday, March 23, the five new electric minibuses were inaugurated, aiming to boost the city’s Libreng Sakay Program, especially amid the continuous rise in oil prices.
Related story: https://mb.com.ph/2026/03/24/pasig-lgu-inaugurates-p20-m-electric-minibuses-to-boost-libreng-sakay-program

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METRO NEWS pasig city mayor vico sotto good governance transparency COA
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