CAGAYAN — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Saturday announced that the government will reinstate the rule requiring local government units (LGUs) to formally accept national infrastructure projects before these can be declared completed, a safeguard that was removed under the previous administration.
Speaking in Gonzaga, Cagayan, where he distributed aid to residents and farmers affected by Super Typhoon Nando, Marcos explained that the rule ensures quality and accountability in government-funded projects. He cited his own experience as former Ilocos Norte governor, stressing that local clearance was an essential part of guaranteeing that projects were well-built and not overpriced.
“Kaya po ibabalik po natin yan Gov, lahat ng LGU ngayon – mula ngayon ay ibabalik natin ang proseso ng pag-accept ng local government executive,” Marcos told Cagayan Governor Edgardo Aglipay.
The President said he was surprised to learn from a barangay chairman that LGUs no longer had authority to accept projects, particularly after inspecting anomalous flood control works.
“This clearance from barangay chairmen, mayors, and provincial officials is the way for local governments to make sure projects are done properly and at the right cost,” he added.
Marcos emphasized that this safeguard will be applied to the PhP300 billion allocation for flood control projects this year, which will extend into 2026. “That’s the new factor we put in—projects must have proper proposals, program of work, completion, and LGU acceptance,” he said.
The move follows his July 28 State of the Nation Address directive to investigate questionable flood control projects, which exposed corruption in ghost and substandard works. As a result, he ordered the cancellation of DPWH’s locally funded flood control projects for next year, redirecting PhP255.5 billion to priority sectors including health, education, social welfare, and agriculture.
To ensure accountability, the President has also established the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), tasked with investigating irregularities in flood control projects over the past decade and holding government officials, personnel, and private contractors responsible for misuse of public funds.
