Biz groups: Corruption crisis a security threat
In a rare show of unity, the country’s biggest business organizations have issued a joint resolution urgently calling on President Marcos to immediately address the “historic, massive and unprecedented corruption scandal crippling flood control and infrastructure projects,” condemning it as a “crisis that has eroded public trust and now threatens our national security.”
“We have contributed to national funds through taxes locally and nationally and have paid additional assessment of taxes. We provided many fees to enable us to do business. Yet, trillions of pesos supplied and intended to protect our communities from disasters have been squandered through ghost projects, substandard work, and inflated contracts,” read the resolution signed by 34 groups and associations led by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc., the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, the Makati Business Club, and the Management Association of the Philippines.
“This is more than financial loss—it is a fatal breach of public trust that leaves our people vulnerable and outraged,” they warned.
The groups urged Mr. Marcos to “immediately and transparently” adopt proposed measures to confront the crisis, topped by empowering the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) with “full legal authority and independence” to enable it to fulfill its mandate to conduct a swift and comprehensive investigation of the anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects “free from political influence.”
Lacking powers
In a bid to shore up public trust that had been eroded by revelations of massive corruption which had tainted trillions of pesos worth of government projects, Mr. Marcos signed an executive order forming the ICI last month to investigate alleged corruption, irregularities and misuse of funds in state-funded flood control and related projects over the last 10 years.
However, concerns were raised that the ICI was “toothless” as it does not have the power nor authority to compel those allegedly involved in corruption to testify, thus the groups’ call for more powers to be vested in the ICI chaired by retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr.
They also urged Mr. Marcos to prosecute all those who would be found responsible for these anomalous infrastructure projects “impartially and without regard of rank, position, political affiliation or personal relations.”
They likewise appealed for regular public updates on the progress of the investigations and reforms and to promptly disclose to the public all of the pertinent findings “to demonstrate genuine commitment and credibility.”
Mr. Marcos should also “implement institutional reforms, ensure restitution of ill-gotten wealth and embezzled funds of the government, and strengthen procurement and oversight systems” to prevent future abuse, the groups said.
“Mr. President, we strongly urge you to act decisively to signal your administration’s genuine commitment to justice, integrity, and accountable governance,” the resolution said.
Also among the groups that signed the urgent appeal to the President are the Federation of Philippine Industries Inc., the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, the Philippine Exports Confederation, and several trade associations.
No more insertions
In Congress, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said senators would only be allowed to propose amendments or changes during the second reading to prevent last-minute insertions in the 2026 general appropriations bill.
“No insertions will be allowed during the third reading or in the bicameral conference committee hearings. In other words, zero insertions,” he said in an interview on radio dzBB on Sunday.
The Senate, Sotto stressed, is looking at removing unprogrammed funds and reallocating these to the proper agencies.
“I told Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to remove the unprogrammed funds, but he said the problem is with the foreign-assisted projects. We can’t just remove that,” the Senate leader noted.
“If they have unprogrammed funds, for instance the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations and Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients, it should go to institutions like the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Health. Why put it in the unprogrammed funds?” he asked.
For Sen. Bam Aquino, the filing of cases against those involved is not enough, pointing out that the government must also ensure the recovery of public funds and the implementation of systemic reforms that will eventually eliminate corruption in the budget system.
“We need to see people jailed. The money must be returned. But we need to see some systems put in. So this is a system, livestreaming the bicam and putting the documents online. That’s a systemic change,” Aquino said. —WITH A REPORT FROM TINA G. SANTOS
