Rowegie Abanto

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., together with DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon, Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando, and other officials, inspects the ₱77.1-million flood mitigation structure in Barangay Frances, Calumpit, Bulacan. Mark Balmores, PPA pool/File

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., together with DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon, Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando, and other officials, inspects the ₱77.1-million flood mitigation structure in Barangay Frances, Calumpit, Bulacan, after visiting the ₱96.4-million river protection structure in Barangay Bulusan, also in Calumpit, on August 15, 2025.
The inspections followed his press conference exposing alleged irregularities in the government’s ₱545-billion flood control programs, which covered 9,855 projects from July 2022 to May 2025. Bulacan recorded the highest number of projects at 668, amounting to ₱6.5 billion.
The Bulusan project was built by St. Timothy Construction Corporation, one of the country’s top three contractors, while the Frances project was undertaken by Wawao Builders, ranked among the top 15 with 58 flood control projects. 

Mark Balmores, PPA pool

Article (news)

MARCOS

Harlene Delgado

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/175755039507920250815-marcos-calumpit-flood-control-PPA5977.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., together with DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon, Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando, and other officials, inspects the ₱77.1-million flood mitigation structure in Barangay Frances, Calumpit, Bulacan. <em>Mark Balmores, PPA pool/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Thursday an executive order creating a three-member independent commission set to probe anomalies in infrastructure projects.</p><p>Executive Order 94 directed the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to “prioritize the investigation of flood control and other infrastructure projects within the last ten (10) years”.</p><p>The fact-finding ad-hoc commission will be composed of a chairperson and two members who shall be of “proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence”.</p><p>The body is mandated to “hear, investigate, receive, gather, and evaluate evidence, intelligence reports, and information” either complaint or motu proprio, against all government officials and employees and other individuals involved in anomalies, irregularities, and misuse of funds in the planning, financing, and implementation of government flood control and other infrastructure projects nationwide.</p><p>Violations include Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, RA No. 1379 on the unlawful acquisition of property by a public officer or employee, RA No. 6713 or the &quot;Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and the relevant provisions of the Revised Penal Code.</p><p>The ICI shall recommend the filing of appropriate criminal, civil, and administrative cases or actions against those responsible.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02oKYNhQasb1i24BrCgEMKUn6SwZ5oRKePHbXRjensr9t4a6kaBuvaiJgHBcF4zkNFl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="250" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>POWERS AND FUNCTIONS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Some of the powers of the fact-finding body include the following. </p><ul><li>Conduct hearings, take testimony, and receive, gather, review, and evaluate evidence, reports, and information on matters within its power to investigate</li><li>Issue subpoenas for attendance of witnesses and production of documents necessary for its fact-finding and investigation activities</li><li>Inform any person who has witnessed or has knowledge or information on the commission of a crime subject to investigation or fact-finding by the ICI, and has testified, or is testifying, or is about to testify on such matter, that he or she may apply and be admitted into the Witness Protection, Security, and Benefit Program if qualified</li><li>Recommend to the DOJ the admission of a person as a state witness, in cases where there is a need to utilize a person as a state witness </li><li>Obtain from the Senate and the House of Representatives information and documents upon proper request or representation</li><li>Obtain books, records, contracts, bank statements, and other documents pertinent to its investigation upon proper request or representation to the appropriate authorities</li><li>Recommend to or request from the appropriate authorities or the proper courts, the issuance of a hold departure order or other remedies to monitor or prohibit the travel abroad, or to compel the return from abroad, of any public official or employee, or any other individual, under investigation by the ICI</li><li>Recommend to or request from the appropriate authorities the freezing or seizure of assets, funds, deposits, and properties reasonably believed to be connected to anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects pending investigation with the ICI</li><li>Transfer evidence and findings, from time to time, to the appropriate prosecutorial authorities for expeditious prosecution, by means of a special or interim report and recommendation</li><li>Recommend to the appropriate authorities the immediate preventive suspension of any public official or employee as the ICI may find necessary to prevent tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses during its investigation</li><li>Invite and collaborate with public officials and/or private individuals of recognized competence and integrity, with established knowledge and expertise in governance, transparency, and accountability, and designate them as Special Adviser </li><li>Engage the services of resource persons, professionals, experts in relevant fields, and such other personnel as may be necessary to effectively carry out its mandate</li></ul><div><br/></div><p>Any government official or personnel who delays or refuses to comply with a subpoena issued by the body or refuses to take oath or affirmation “without adequate cause” shall be subject to administrative disciplinary action without prejudice to any criminal liability.</p><p>The Department of Justice, including the National Bureau of Investigation and National Prosecution Service, the DPWH, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police and all government agencies are mandated to extend full assistance and cooperation to the ICl.</p><p>“All local government units, all branches of government, and the private sector, are hereby encouraged to provide full and timely assistance and cooperation to the ICI to ensure effective implementation of this Order,” the order also reads.</p><p>An executive director, under the control and supervision of the Chairperson, will execute and administer the policies and decisions of the body and manage its day-to-day operations.</p><p>The executive director will determine the appropriate organizational structure, staffing pattern, and corresponding qualification standards for all positions under the ICI 30 days from the effectivity of the order. </p><p>It will be submitted for review and approval of the President and/or the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).</p><p>The announcement comes amid public anger over alleged corruption in billions of pesos worth of flood control programs, as well as unease that the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/8/senate-3rd-hearing-focus-on-curlee-discaya-other-contractors-bulacan-engineers-0916">congressional</a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/house-invites-grace-poe-zaldy-co-in-flood-control-inquiry-1305">probes</a> may not hold key personalities accountable since some lawmakers are linked to the controversy.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/11/dpwh-to-file-raps-vs-18-personnel-contractors-tagged-in-flood-control-mess-0804">DPWH to file raps vs 18 personnel, contractors tagged in flood control mess</a></div><p>Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon told ANC earlier in the day that his agency would be &quot;working very closely&quot; with the investigation of the independent commission.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lxt2LYH4Fa4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9tyIJz6WqYk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" 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<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has created an independent commission to investigate the anomalies in flood control infrastructure.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has created an independent commission to investigate the anomalies in flood control infrastructure.

Marcos forms 3-member independent body to probe flood control, other infra anomalies in past decade

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Marcos forms 3-member independent body to probe flood control, other infra anomalies in past decade

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 11, 2025 02:12 PM PHT

|

Updated Sep 11, 2025 02:57 PM PHT

Read More:

Independent Body

Flood Control

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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