Marilyn Cahatol

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signs into law the Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace in Manila on August 14, 2025. 

The law strengthens the constitutional guarantee under Article VIII, Section 3, ensuring that the Judiciary’s budget cannot be reduced below the previous year’s allocation and must be automatically released. It also authorizes the Supreme Court to submit its budget proposal directly to Congress, mandates the automatic monthly release of funds, and requires quarterly reporting to the President and Congress. Witnesses include Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Senate President Chiz Escudero, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and other officials. 

Mark Balmores, PPA Pool

Article (news)

MARCOS

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175972237015120251006041032_e53c45d2d82d5fe13c01d1dd18f5cc8945c07081a430771c7a687bc9700ba1ba.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signs into law the Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace in Manila on August 14, 2025. Mark Balmores, PPA Pool/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippines will “not tolerate the wastage of public funds,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told foreign loan and aid providers on Monday, as investigations into billions-worth of substandard flood control projects continue to hound the disaster-prone country.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/20/marcos-inspects-flood-control-project-in-bulacan-as-probe-intensifies-0913">Marcos &#x27;very angry&#x27; over P55-M &#x27;ghost&#x27; riverwall project in Baliuag, Bulacan</a></div><p>Marcos Jr. gave the statement at the Philippine Development Forum 2025, where government officials and global development partners are meeting to discuss what has been achieved and what more needs to be done to help develop the Philippines into an upper-middle income country.</p><p>“We will not tolerate measurement without action, nor will we tolerate the wastage of public funds,” the President said.</p><p>“Walang perang sasayangin. Hindi tayo papayag na lustayin ang kaban ng bayan... Be assured that we continue to listen to the concerns and recommendations of our development partners. We are determined to go further,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/11/a-deeper-look-into-marcos-s-list-of-top-flood-control-contractors-0037">A deeper look into Marcos’s list of top flood control contractors</a></div><p>Earlier this year, Marcos Jr. made public the full list of all flood control projects since the start of his presidency in 2022 after records showed that numerous structures were marked as completed despite being either unfinished or have not yet started.</p><p>Last month, the President created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to look into all infrastructure projects in the last decade.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/5/magalong-s-resignation-from-ici-not-what-marcos-jr-wanted-palace-1221">Magalong&#x27;s resignation from ICI &#x27;not what Marcos Jr. wanted&#x27; — Palace</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;BALLPARK FIGURE&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is in the process of computing how much in taxpayers’ money was wasted due to anomalous flood control projects.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/3/dpwh-refers-2-cases-of-bid-manipulation-rigging-to-ph-competition-commission-0854">DPWH refers 12 cases of bid manipulation, rigging to PH Competition Commission</a></div><p>“For the ballpark figure, you have to understand na ang dami nito, ang daming proyekto, ang daming lugar pero tingin ko within the month of October makakapagbigay na tayo ng estimate,” DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon told reporters on the sidelines of the event.</p><p>“Ang dami na naming nakitang mga loophole dito sa mga nakaraang taon na siguro dekada ang binibilang na kailangan maayos natin mula sa planning, mula sa paglalagay ng pera sa budget, sa pagbi-bid out ng mga project, sa pagmo-monitor at pagbabayad ng mga contractor,” he said.</p><p>“Sa mga susunod na linggo, maglalabas na tayo ng mga direktiba — hindi magiging perfect ito — pero masisimulan na natin paunti unti na iplug ang mga problema,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/3/philippine-military-chief-says-rejected-calls-to-oust-marcos-1750">Philippine military chief says rejected calls to oust Marcos</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>ODA PROJECTS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Philippines&#x27; total official development assistance (ODA) portfolio in 2024 increased by 6 percent to $39.61 billion, covering 92 project loans, 19 program loans, and 315 grants, according to data from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev).</p><p>“We know that funding alone is not enough. Critical bottlenecks and systemic challenges have long hindered us from optimally utilizing the ODA so we are taking action,” Marcos Jr. said.</p><p>“We are also introducing measures to simplify the issuance of Special Authority — enabling faster mobilization of assistance aligned with national priorities,” he added.</p><p>The President ended his speech by thanking the Philippines’ development partners for their “continued trust, expertise, and support help transform our vision into tangible outcomes.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/6/marcos-vows-to-go-after-the-guilty-ones-in-flood-control-corruption-0941">Marcos vows to go after the &#x27;guilty ones&#x27; in flood control corruption</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gzsy0mwDFqg?si=Z4idF5BtzhDNkGCD" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The Philippines will “not tolerate the wastage of public funds,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told foreign loan and aid providers on Monday, as investigations into billions-worth of substandard flood control projects continue to hound the disaster-prone country.</p>

The Philippines will “not tolerate the wastage of public funds,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told foreign loan and aid providers on Monday, as investigations into billions-worth of substandard flood control projects continue to hound the disaster-prone country.

Marcos tells foreign aid providers: PH 'will not tolerate wastage of public funds'

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Marcos tells foreign aid providers: PH 'will not tolerate wastage of public funds'

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 06, 2025 11:48 AM PHT

Read More:

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

corruption

education

foreign aid

flood control projects

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