PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, appointed members of a new anti-corruption body, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), tasked to investigate irregularities in flood control projects of the past 10 years. For her part, Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro announced that she is planning to form a coalition of governors dedicated to good governance, inspired by a similar initiative among mayors.
Both steps highlight the growing visibility of accountability and transparency as political themes, with national leaders and local executives pushing their own versions of reform.
WHY NOW. Flood control projects have long been among the most criticized parts of spending from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Large budgets are routinely allocated for drainage systems, river embankments, dikes and floodways — yet urban flooding in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cebu and other provinces continues to worsen. For years, watchdog groups and lawmakers have accused these projects of being breeding grounds for “ghost works,” overpriced contracts and poor-quality construction.
Marcos said the ICI will “clean up the system” by reviewing project design, procurement, and implementation. He named former DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson, known for anti-“ghost project” reforms during the Aquino administration; Rossana Fajardo, managing partner of auditing giant SGV & Co.; and Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, a retired police general with a record in high-profile investigations, as the core members. A chairman will be announced soon.
The commission has authority to subpoena documents and recommend the filing of cases with the Ombudsman, Department of Justice, or Civil Service Commission. It is expected to work swiftly, though Palace officials admitted the sheer volume of records makes a few months’ completion “ideal but not guaranteed.”
GOVERNOR’S MOVE. In Cebu, Baricuatro has been positioning herself as an advocate of reform at the local level. On Sept. 10, she announced plans for the creation of “Governors for Good Governance,” a coalition that will commit provincial executives to transparency and accountability. She drew inspiration from the Mayors for Good Governance, a group led by reformist mayors like Magalong, Joy Belmonte of Quezon City and Vico Sotto of Pasig.
Baricuatro consulted with Sotto on how to set up the group and also held separate meetings with Vice President Sara Duterte and President Marcos earlier this month. Her role as newly elected vice president for Ways and Means of the League of Provinces of the Philippines gives her a platform to introduce the coalition formally.
THE PROMISE. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the inclusion of names with proven credibility — Singson with DPWH reforms, Fajardo with financial forensics, Magalong with investigative rigor — suggests the President is serious. They argue that if corruption in flood control is exposed, billions of pesos can be saved and future projects better executed.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW YET. Several big questions remain. For the ICI:
Who will Marcos appoint as chair, and will this person be seen as truly independent?
Will the probe focus narrowly on technical irregularities, or will it also name politicians who benefited from dubious projects?
Can the commission finish in “months” when a decade’s worth of records are at stake?
For Baricuatro’s coalition:
How many governors will actually sign up? Will it attract reform-minded leaders beyond Cebu and Metro Manila, or will it be a small circle?
Will the coalition align with national reform movements, or remain a loose advocacy group?
How will it deal with members who sign the manifesto but fail to live up to its standards?
WHAT’S AT STAKE. The stakes are large. For infrastructure, corruption translates not just into wasted money but into lives disrupted by persistent flooding. A credible ICI could push systemic reforms in how public works projects are bid, built and monitored. Conversely, a weak or compromised ICI could reinforce public cynicism about “commission after commission” with little effect.
For the governors’ coalition, the outcome could shape provincial politics. If it gains traction, it could pressure more local leaders to clean up governance and even influence national debates on anti-corruption. If it fizzles, it will be seen as another short-lived reform banner raised for political branding rather than lasting change.
WHAT’S NEXT. Marcos is expected to name the ICI chair soon, after which the body can formally begin its work. Baricuatro, meanwhile, is preparing to launch Governors for Good Governance before year’s end. Its roster of founding members will be watched closely to see if the coalition gains real weight or remains symbolic. / TPM, CDF