PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is on track in ordering the Department of Public Highways to slash puffed up infrastructure costs and directing all government agencies to adopt the same price overhaul.
The directive covers infrastructure and capital expenditures under the Departments of Education, Agriculture, Health, Transportation, and the Interior and Local Government as well as the National Irrigation Administration.
The President explained such measures would curb corruption and align project costs with real market rate, apart from enforcing transparency and financial prudence or budgetary control.
Prior to his departure for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting in Busan, South Korea the other day, the President said: “Alongside our efforts to strengthen the Philippines’ regional foothold and attract investments, we continue to cleanse our bureaucracy of corruption – because only a transparent government can build a fair economy.”
Given the impudent scenario we have seen following the severe storms that roared into the country in the third and fourth quarter of 2025, the President’s syllables mean the comprehensive elimination or removal of corrupt practices, behaviors, and systems within public administration.
They involve implementing systemic reforms to ensure that government functions are conducted with integrity, transparency, efficiency, and accountability.
We know the people are keenly watching how the President’s words will be transformed by those tasked to eliminate the malpractice, which targets illegal or unethical activities, including bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, abuse of power, fraud, and the acceptance of kickbacks or illicit gifts.
Of course the people, who feel they have lost their future because public servants, conniving with unquenchable private contractors, have scammed them of their trust and hard-earned taxes, will watch how this systemic reform will roll.
In their view, which we share and underscore, this is not merely about punishing individual wrongdoers but about fundamental changes to the entire government administration system.
This involves reviewing and changing institutional, management, and human resources aspects to prevent future corruption.
The primary goal is to restore public trust in government institutions, often eroded by widespread corruption, remove altogether corrupt practices so the government can ensure public services and resources – for instance healthcare, education, and public contracts – are distributed fairly and efficiently, without citizens having to pay bribes for basic entitlements.
The President and the directed government agencies must not fail the people.
