MANILA, Philippines – IPINALIWANAG ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang dahilan kung bakit ang nagdaang 10 taon ang sakop ng imbestigasyon ng Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).
Sa isang press conference sa Kalayaan Hall ng Malacañang nitong Lunes, malinaw na inisa-isa ng Pangulo ang rason.
“The answer is two-fold – the practical answer is this: COA is only required to keep records for 10 years. So, those are the records that we know we have na nakakasiguro tayo na matutulungan iyon,” ani Marcos.
“Pangalawa, we’ll do it for as long as possible dahil marami na tayong napag-usapan at isa sa napakahalaga para sa akin ay malaman: paano tayo napunta sa ganito? Bakit nagkaganito iyong gobyerno natin? Papaano nangyari na ganito ang naging bidding? Papaano nangyari na ganito ang naging pagbigay ng kontrata? How did this evolve?” dagdag ng Pangulo.
Ibinahagi rin ni Marcos na, batay sa kanyang karanasan sa lokal na pamahalaan at sa lehislatura, nais niyang malaman kung paano nangyari ang mga iregularidad at kung anong mga pagbabago ang dapat gawin.
“How government does its business and to make sure that the funds that belong to the people are well spent and properly spent to the advantage of all of us, to the advantage of the economy, to the advantage of those who are in danger areas. So, those are the two reasons basically why the 10-year period was specified,” paliwanag niya.
Dagdag pa ng Pangulo, matapos kanselahin ang flood control projects para sa 2026, ang mga natipid ay inilaan sa mga pangunahing sektor.
“Para nga, unang-una, kahit na for the budget na sinusulat ngayon, kailangan na maliwanag na maliwanag na mapupunta sa tamang lugar. And so we have made a menu for our legislators to follow… and they basically cover education, agriculture, health, housing, infra, ICT, labor, social, energy pero ibang nature nito. So, that is the first step that we are taking,” ani Marcos.
Ibinunyag din ng Pangulo ang kanyang pagkabigla nang madiskubre na tinanggal sa nakalipas na administrasyon ang dating alituntunin kung saan ang mga proyekto ng national government sa LGUs ay kailangang tanggapin at aprubahan ng mayor, governor, at maging ng barangay captain.
“Kailangan i-accept noong governor, pati barangay captain kailangan tatanggapin iyan, titingnan nila – and this is an important safeguard… maliwanag ito’y titingnan ninyo talaga na tama na iyong kalsada ay eight inches talaga iyong kongkreto, kapag may asphalt overlay ay makapal talaga iyong asphalt overlay, iyong flood control – lahat iyan,” paliwanag ng Pangulo.
Dahil dito, inatasan niya ang Department of Public Works and Highways at iba pang kaukulang ahensya na ibalik ang naturang sistema ng “acceptance.”
“Maalala ko noong governor ako, walang puwedeng sabihing completed kung hindi accepted ng local government. Ibabalik natin iyon – tinanggal nila in the last administration, we are putting it back because that is one of the best safeguards that we have,” giit niya.
“So, that is essentially the situation as it stands. We are trying to move as quickly as possible. In the meantime, of course our attention continues to be directed to the work of government—that the infrastructure development continues, that our education program continues, that our social programs also continue nang walang patid. As a matter of fact, we are accelerating them and increasing them,” dagdag pa ng Pangulo. (Kris Jose)
