As some citizens and stakeholders treat the government inquiry on anomalous flood control projects as a mere “zarzuela,” business organization Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) said they feel President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s sincerity in pinning down corrupt officials, expressing optimism that this time, someone will be put in jail.

In a press conference at the Shangri-La Bonifacio Global City, Jess Arranza said they respect the duly constituted authority, which is the President.

“And the fact that some government officials have really fooled the Filipino people, we cannot allow our citizens to continue to suffer from flooding. There must be someone to be sued for this. And we are banking on those who will be appointed as members of the fact-finding commission to do their job diligently and truthfully,” he said in Filipino.

The President on Thursday signed Executive Order No. 94, creating the three-member Independent Commission for Infrastructure, composed of a chair and two members, but did not yet identify its members.

“We are here to fight what the President is doing because it is good for the community, for the country, and for industries. The FPI and other business organizations will keep an eye on this. Let’s not think who is right or wrong, let the court decide in the future,” he said.

For her part, the FPI chairperson said they welcome the President’s direction in curbing corruption in the government.

“It really looks like things are moving when he placed Vince Dizon as Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, as well as making Customs move, as the FPI is very keen on curbing smuggling because it harms us. So those two guys (Dizon and BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno) really brought the level of confidence higher, as these gentlemen are going after the bad guys,” she said.

Group’s encouragement

Meanwhile, the FPI said that to limit bad actors within the BOC and the DPWH, institutionalizing robust processes is essential.

This involves embedding transparent, standardized workflows and accountability mechanisms into daily operations to reduce opportunities for corruption or inefficiency; encouraging the two agencies to adopt digital automation by implementing end-to-end digital systems for transactions, approvals, and monitoring to minimize human intervention and ensure traceability.

Also, the group suggests that agencies conduct regular audits by establishing independent, routine audits to identify and address irregularities promptly.

They also want to encourage whistleblower protections by creating secure channels for reporting misconduct, ensuring anonymity and protection for whistleblowers.

Lastly, the group urged the government to implement training and awareness by conducting regular ethics and compliance training to reinforce integrity and adherence to institutional processes.

“These measures can foster a culture of accountability and transparency, reducing the influence of bad actors.”

She also said FPI is ready to work with the DPWH in ensuring that all materials used on government projects, such as cement and steel, among others, are not substandard and pass the Philippine National Standards.

The PNS is based on global standards and further customized to the unique environmental and geological conditions of the Philippines.