When President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 94 on September 11, 2025, it marked the birth of a new watchdog: the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). Its creation was a direct response to the growing frustration of ordinary Filipinos—farmers watching their crops drown, families stuck in waist-deep water, and taxpayers tired of hearing about ghost projects and overpriced flood control systems.

Read along as we break down what the ICI is, why it was created, who’s leading it, what powers it has, and why its work matters to every Filipino—whether you’re living in a barangay prone to flooding or sending remittances as an OFW abroad.

Table of Contents

What Is the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI)?

The ICI is a special fact-finding body tasked to investigate corruption, irregularities, and misuse of funds in flood control and other infrastructure projects carried out in the past ten years.

Its mandate includes three major goals:

Investigate – Dig into alleged corruption, including overpricing, ghost projects, and substandard work.
Recommend charges – File civil, criminal, or administrative cases against those found liable.
Propose reforms – Suggest systemic changes to ensure transparency and accountability in government projects.

This body is designed to stand apart from agencies like the NBI or PNP, which might otherwise face conflicts of interest in probing cases involving fellow government offices.

Why the ICI Was Created

The commission was born out of mounting public complaints. In August 2025, the government launched the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website, a platform where citizens could report irregularities in flood control projects. In less than a month, over 12,000 complaints were filed—ranging from claims of shoddy construction to suspicions of padded contracts.

The ICI aims to:

Restore public trust in infrastructure spending.
Address long-standing allegations of corruption in flood control projects.
Ensure independence from existing agencies that might otherwise shield insiders.

Flood control projects are among the most visible public works. When they fail, the impact is immediate: barangays get submerged, roads turn into rivers, and livelihoods are lost. The ICI’s mission is to ensure that such failures aren’t due to corruption or negligence.

Who’s in the Commission?

The credibility of the ICI largely depends on the people running it. The appointees bring a mix of judicial, technical, auditing, and investigative expertise.

Role	Name	Background
Chairperson	Andres B. Reyes Jr.	Former Supreme Court Justice, respected for clearing case backlogs and his integrity in the judiciary.
Member	Rogelio “Babes” Singson	Former DPWH Secretary (2010–2016), remembered for championing transparency and reform in public works.
Member	Rossana A. Fajardo	Country Managing Partner of SGV & Co., with 30+ years in auditing, risk management, and fraud detection.
Special Adviser / Investigator	Benjamin Magalong	Baguio City Mayor and former PNP Deputy Director General, known for his role in the Mamasapano probe.

This mix of backgrounds is intentional: law, engineering, auditing, and investigation are the critical tools needed to unearth the truth in infrastructure spending.

Powers and Functions of the ICI

Executive Order No. 94 arms the ICI with strong investigative powers:

Receive evidence from citizens, agencies, or its own initiatives.
Conduct hearings and take sworn testimonies.
Issue subpoenas for both documents and witnesses.
Request witness protection under the Witness Protection Act (RA 6981).
Access congressional documents relevant to its work.
Recommend charges to bodies such as the Ombudsman, DOJ, or CSC.
Propose new policies to Congress for long-term reforms.

Importantly, failure to comply with an ICI subpoena carries administrative or criminal liability—a safeguard to prevent stonewalling by uncooperative officials or contractors.

Scope of Investigation

While its initial priority is flood control projects from the last decade, the ICI has authority to expand its probe into all infrastructure projects, especially where complaints suggest systemic abuse.

The legal framework it draws from includes:

RA 3019 – Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
RA 1379 – Unlawful Acquisition of Property by Public Officers
RA 6713 – Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials
Relevant provisions of the Revised Penal Code

By grounding its work on established laws, the ICI ensures that its findings can lead directly to actionable charges.

Operations and Reporting

The commission is required to work quickly and transparently:

Daily meetings to speed up investigations.
Monthly reports submitted to the President through the Executive Secretary.
Public updates on accomplishments to keep citizens informed.
Funding support initially from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), later as part of the national budget.

This reporting structure ensures both direct accountability to the President and transparency to the public.

Why the ICI Matters

For many Filipinos, the commission’s work is not just about paperwork—it’s about survival, trust, and dignity.

Communities and LGUs stand to gain real flood protection from properly executed projects. No more watching money disappear while barangays go underwater.
Taxpayers, including OFWs sending remittances home, deserve assurance that every peso goes to building resilient infrastructure instead of lining corrupt pockets.
Future reforms in procurement and project management could prevent recurring cycles of corruption and disaster.

Ultimately, the ICI represents a chance to reset the culture of accountability in public works. Its success could serve as a model for other sectors long plagued by corruption.

Watch: PBBM officially names the Chairperson and members of Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI)

President Bongbong Marcos Jr. launched the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate irregularities in public works, especially flood control projects.

He appointed former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr. as chairperson, citing his long-standing reputation for fairness and integrity.

Joining him are ex-DPWH Secretary Babes Singson and SGV & Co. managing partner Rossana Fajardo, both bringing deep experience in infrastructure and forensic accounting.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong steps in as special adviser, known for his sharp investigative work and detailed reporting.

The commission moves forward with a clear mission: uncover wrongdoing and restore public trust in government projects.

Conclusion

The creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure under Executive Order 94 is a bold step by the government to confront long-standing issues in public works. With a credible roster of leaders, sweeping investigative powers, and a clear mandate, the ICI has the potential to deliver both justice and reform.

Whether it succeeds will depend on its independence, speed, and transparency—but for the millions of Filipinos whose lives are directly affected by faulty flood control projects, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The ICI is not just about looking back at 10 years of possible corruption. It’s about building a future where infrastructure means safety, trust, and progress—not scandal.