Marcos orders return of LGU acceptance rule for national projects

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the reinstatement of a rule requiring local government units (LGUs) to formally accept completed national government projects before they can be marked as finished by agencies like the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Marcos expressed surprise that this rule was reportedly removed during the previous administration under former president Rodrigo Duterte.

He emphasized that this requirement is a safeguard to ensure proper inspection and approval by local officials, preventing the misuse of funds and ensuring the quality of public infrastructure.

The President mentioned that during his time as governor, DPWH projects could not be marked complete without his inspection, contrasting it with recent findings where projects marked as complete were barely finished.

This revelation came amid investigations into alleged ghost flood-control projects, prompting inquiries in both the House and the Senate.

Marcos also announced the creation of an Independent Commission for Infrastructure, chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr., to probe alleged anomalies in infrastructure projects, particularly flood-control works.

The commission will have the authority to subpoena records, summon witnesses, and conduct hearings, with its findings to be forwarded to the Department of Justice, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the Civil Service Commission.