Instead of a mass resignation of elected officials, the influential Makati Business Club has urged the government to pursue systemic reforms to address corruption amid the flood control scandal.
‘Simply changing the people in power will not achieve the lasting improvement in the country’s governance,’ MBC said in a statement on Monday.
The statement was in response to Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano’s call for a snap election in the executive and legislative branches amid the political maelstrom caused by allegations of massive corruption in the government.
Urgent reforms
The MBC said Congress should work on long-delayed reforms, including an anti-dynasty law, changes to the bank secrecy laws and the Freedom of Information bill.
‘These are immediate measures that need to be put in place for meaningful reforms that the country need,’ the group added.
Flood control probe
The MBC urged legislators to support the passage of the proposed bills of Senator Risa Hontiveros, Akbayan party-list Representative Chel Diokno and Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima to fully empower the Independent Commission for Infrastructure that President Marcos formed to look into irregularities in flood control projects.
It also said the 2026 national budget should truly reflect national priorities, including well-conceived priority infrastructure projects and rules -based social programs.
Furthermore, the MBC called for the convening of a multisectoral group composed of distinguished experts to craft an improved system for prioritizing, planning, funding and implementing public infrastructure projects. All these must be anchored on transparency, fair bidding and citizen monitoring, the business group said.
The MBC said other changes could be implemented administratively.