Tag: ICI

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Lacson Hopeful ICI Can Bring Justice to Nation ‘Drowning’ in Corruption

With the appointment of former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr. as chairman, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is in a good position to bring justice to a nation drowning in corruption, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Monday.

Lacson cited the integrity of Reyes, who he had the chance to meet while he was still in the Supreme Court. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced earlier Monday that Reyes would chair the iCI.

“I had the chance of meeting him while he was still with the Supreme Court. He has integrity,” Lacson said of Reyes.

In Filipino: Lacson Umaasa na Magbibigay ng Hustisya ang ICI sa Bayan na Lubog sa Korapsyon

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On the Independent Commission for Infrastructure

The expanded coverage of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to include all infrastructure projects and not just flood control projects is a most welcome development.

In like manner, I hope the scope of the sumbongsapangulo.ph website will likewise be expanded by not limiting its coverage to flood control projects only.

Better yet, the website can be made more valuable to taxpayers by including data on funding for all infrastructure projects of all agencies, from the National Expenditure Program to the General Appropriations Act, as well as the identities of the proponents of congressional amendments or insertions and all the way to the project implementation and completion. And yes, complete with geotagging, please.

This will maximize transparency every step of the way, not to mention public participation in monitoring where and how our taxes are being spent.

Meanwhile, there are bills filed in both Houses of Congress that will institutionalize the ICI, complete with all the powers in the mold of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) of Singapore.

It is long in coming.

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