‘CONCRETE actions’ on the flood control investigation are expected to unfold in the next few weeks, particularly in recovering the assets of those involved in the multibillion corruption mess, according to Public Works and Highways Secretary Vivencio ‘Vince’ Dizon.
‘In the next few weeks, mayroon na pong mga kongkretong aksyon kayong makikita. Mayroon po tayong batas ‘yung civil forfeiture law, bihira pong ginagamit ito [we will see concrete action. We have a civil forfeiture law, which is rarely used],’ Dizon said during the 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo on Tuesday in Pasay City.
‘The President said we must use that law, because it allows for quick action. The case is not for a criminal charge, that is only a civil case. With just a lower level of evidence, we can auction off the assets of all those who stole from taxpayers,’ added the DPWH secretary, speaking mostly in Filipino.
Dizon said this after he had a chance to meet with Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) alongside 15 government agencies involved in the ‘restitution’ of the stolen flood control funds.
These agencies, he said, include the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), Land Registration authority, Land Transportation Office, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Solicitor General, Secretary of Justice, and the Bureau of Customs.
‘Ngayon ko lang nakita na nagsama-sama kaming lahat na iisa lang ang objective: Habulin at ibalik ang perang ninakaw sa ating lahat. [It’s only now that I’ve seen all our agencies united with one objective: run after and restore to the people the stolen funds],’ added Dizon.
In a statement released by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) over the weekend, 34 business groups including the Makati Business Club, Philippine Exporters Confederation, and the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines, told President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure ‘restitution’ of ill-gotten wealth and embezzled funds of the government.
The business groups called on the chief executive to address without delay the massive corruption scandal crippling flood control and infrastructure projects, which has ‘eroded public trust and is threatening the country’s national security.’
‘We have contributed to national funds thru taxes locally and nationally and have paid additional assessment of taxes. We provided many fees to enable us to do business. Yet, trillions of pesos supplied and intended to protect our communities from disasters have been squandered through ghost projects, substandard work, and inflated contracts,’ they said in their statement.
PBC resolutions
Meanwhile, the largest business group in the Philippines said it had to revise its set of recommendations for the government for this year as the flood control corruption came in the picture, now placing anti-corruption and good governance at the top of its priority list.
On the sidelines of the business conference, the chairman of PCCI’s Science and Technology, Ferdinand Ferrer, said: ‘You know the PBC resolutions, we discussed it for months. With this flood control corruption scandal, we had to revise it.’
As reflected in the paper on recommendations submitted by PCCI to the government, the Resolution on Good Governance and Anti-Corruption is placed on top of the list. This is the first time in four years that the business group highlighted in its resolutions the need to fight corruption.
The 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo (PBC and E) Resolutions read: ‘Strongly urging the National Government to put an end to unabated, continuing, and excessive corruption in government projects and transactions by instituting strict monitoring, transparency, and accountability mechanisms across all levels of governance.’
Under this recommendation, the business group underscored the importance of ensuring that public officials and private partners involved in ‘collusion’ are investigated, prosecuted, and penalized ‘to the fullest extent of the law.’
The resolution stressed the need for stolen public funds to be recovered and ‘redirected towards programs that genuinely serve the Filipino people, especially the poor.’
The four-point action plan related to the resolution, PCCI stressed, should be done by ‘creating multisectoral oversight bodies with private sector participation to strengthen governance and integrity in public projects.’
On transparency, PCCI said the government should ‘institutionalize’ open governance systems and publish data on project implementation, procurement, and fund utilization for public access.
It should provide for ‘stricter monitoring, auditing, and reporting mechanisms in all government projects to ensure full transparency and integrity,’ PCCI underscored.
The group also prodded the government to enforce accountability and sanctions on public officials and private entities involved in corruption and collusion.
The Resolution on Digitalization and Innovation, the central theme of PCCI’s business conference this year, only came second to anti-corruption on the list of priority recommendations.
Under this proposal, PCCI urged the government to invest in, regulate, and ‘swiftly adapt’ to Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, and emerging digital technologies to enhance efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness in public service delivery, ‘while fostering innovation, data sovereignty, and global competitiveness across both public and private sectors.’
As for agriculture and energy, PCCI urged the National Government to promote smart agriculture systems and ‘resilient’ agri-value chains, and ensure a ‘balanced’ energy transition that accelerates renewable energy adoption while maintaining ‘reliability, affordability, and competitiveness’ of supply for industries and consumers.
PCCI said the government should implement a Digital Agricutlural Land Mapping Program to identify ‘optimal’ crops and provide farmers with technical assistance and seedlings.
It cited the need to develop a ‘comprehensive’ Renewable Energy Roadmap that attracts investments in solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass, and emerging technologies such as hydrogen.
PCCI also prodded the government to improve the overall business environment in the country.
The business group’s recommendation on MSME Development and Ease of Doing Business pressed the Department of Finance (DOF), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and Small Business Corporation (SBCorp.) to improve access to affordable financing for MSMEs, especially for startup capital, working capital, and green enterprise investments.
PCCI also called on the government to invest in broadband networks, data centers, and common towers to expand digital connectivity nationwide, particularly in ‘underserved’ areas.