BUSINESS AND reform advocacy groups are pushing for the completion of reforms against corruption to avoid the repeat of the flood control scandal and other cases of plunder and corruption.
The proponents noted that while ongoing investigations have named several prominent individuals involved in the flood mess, these personalities have yet to be brought before Philippine courts and broader reforms intended to prevent similar abuses of public funds are also largely unfinished.
In a joint statement, the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), Justice Reform Initiative (JRI) and Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) said several critical safeguards remain unfinished despite recent progress in transparency and procurement reforms.
These include full project-life-cycle transparency systems, rapid-response mechanisms for procurement red flags and public monitoring tools for major infrastructure projects—measures they said are essential to stopping irregularities before public money is lost, Business Mirror quoted the statement.
The statement comes in the wake of developments linked to the flood-control controversy, which the groups had earlier flagged in December last year.
Since then, the Office of the Ombudsman has announced the filing of plunder and related charges against public officials, while the government has begun implementing the New Government Procurement Act and other transparency initiatives.
Vapid Accountability
The groups said these developments show that institutions can act when credible allegations surface. However, they maintained that accountability mechanisms remain incomplete.
“The challenge before the country is therefore not merely to prosecute past wrongdoing, but to ensure that the conditions that allowed it to occur are fundamentally addressed,” the statement said.
Of the four reform areas the groups proposed in December, they said only one has seen meaningful progress so far—beneficial ownership disclosure through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and the HARBOR registry.
These measures aim to reveal the real owners behind companies that participate in government contracts, reducing opportunities for hidden interests and intermediary entities to benefit from public procurement.
The groups warned, though, that the effectiveness of these reforms will depend on whether they are fully integrated with procurement, tax, audit, and anti-money laundering systems.
They urged the government to accelerate action on several fronts, including the investigation and prosecution of flood-control-related cases, and the apprehension of individuals still outside the reach of Philippine courts.
They also called for full implementation of transparency and digital monitoring provisions under the New Government Procurement Act.
Among their recommendations was the integration of beneficial ownership data with procurement, tax, audit, and AML systems to detect conflicts of interest and suspicious bidding patterns more effectively.
Real Time Tracking
The groups also pushed for real-time public tracking of major infrastructure projects, including updates on disbursements, variation orders, cost overruns, delays, and contractor concentration, Business Mirror added.
They further called for tighter coordination among key agencies, including the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit, Anti-Money Laundering Council, Department of Budget and Management, Government Procurement Policy Board, Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and implementing agencies, so that procurement red flags trigger immediate action.
“The Filipino people deserve more than another major scandal followed by years of investigation and delayed accountability,” the groups said.
“They deserve institutions capable of preventing abuse, detecting irregularities early, and ensuring that violations are addressed swiftly and fairly, regardless of position or influence,” it added.