Marcos Creates Independent Body to Investigate Flood Control and Infrastructure Anomalies

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has issued Executive Order No. 94, creating the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate irregularities in public works and flood control projects in the Philippines over the past decade. The commission, composed of a chair and two members, is empowered to launch its own investigations or act on complaints to examine evidence, intelligence reports, and information tied to anomalies in project planning, financing, and implementation. 

The ICI’s mandate covers infrastructure works, especially flood control efforts, undertaken within the last ten years spanning the administrations of Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Rodrigo Duterte, and Marcos Jr. himself. The commission may recommend criminal, civil, or administrative charges and propose reforms and corrective measures to agencies such as the Department of Justice, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Civil Service Commission. 

Executive Order No. 94 grants the ICI broad powers: issuing subpoenas, requesting financial records, freezing assets related to alleged anomalies, and recommending preventive suspensions. It is also empowered to endorse evidence for prosecution and to coordinate with technical experts. Additionally, the commission will be supported by a secretariat, led by an executive director with undersecretary rank, which is to propose its staffing and organizational structure for presidential or Department of Budget and Management approval within 30 days. 

Transparency and cooperation are central to the order. All relevant government agencies  including the National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Philippine National Police  are obliged to assist the ICI. The commission is required to submit monthly reports to the Office of the President and must publish its accomplishments and other relevant findings. 

The move follows mounting public outcry and findings of alleged misuse of funds, flawed or non‐existent infrastructure works, and duplication or poor documentation in flood control projects. In his recent State of the Nation Address, Marcos stressed that despite billions spent, many areas remain vulnerable to flooding  in part due to alleged anomalies. 

While the commission has yet to be populated with its full membership, expectations are high that it will strengthen accountability in infrastructure, deter misuse of public funds, and restore trust in government oversight. Analysts note that the ICI has the potential to trigger more rigorous audits, reinforce checks and balances, and bring legal consequences for wrongdoing across multiple past presidencies.