Chiz Escudero Pushes for People, LGUs to Have a Say in Infrastructure Projects

TACLOBAN CITY — Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has urged that local government units (LGUs) and the people themselves be given a greater role in determining which infrastructure projects should be implemented in their areas. He believes this is the key to eliminating corruption, waste, and so-called “ghost projects.”

Escudero stated in a press release that this principle should guide the proposed 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and future national budgets. He emphasized that projects must reflect local priorities instead of being arbitrarily inserted into the budget by national legislators or agencies.

“Let the people who know best about what they need decide on what projects should be implemented in their respective areas,” Escudero said.

“Sa dami ng mga lumitaw na problema sa mga government infrastructure projects kabilang na ang mga substandard at ‘ghost’ flood control projects, kailangan talaga na gumawa ng makabuluhan na solusyon para hindi na nasasayang ang pera ng bayan sa katiwalian,” he added.

According to Escudero, many abuses in infrastructure funding stem from arbitrary budget insertions — projects that appear in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) without ever undergoing proper review or consultation.

“These projects came out of nowhere and were included in the national budget without anyone really knowing if they were feasible, needed, or even real,” he pointed out.

Audits conducted by the Commission on Audit (COA) and reviews of past GAAs have repeatedly revealed the presence of “ghost” projects and anomalies in infrastructure implementation.

To address this, Escudero has filed the Grassroots Infrastructure Planning and Budgeting Act, a measure that seeks to make local consultation and approval mandatory before any project is included in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) — the President’s proposed budget submitted to Congress.

Under Escudero’s proposal, all infrastructure projects must have prior endorsement from the Regional Development Council (RDC) and the Provincial, City, or Municipal Development Council, along with their respective Sanggunian, before they can be inserted into the NEP or the final GAA.

“Doon pa lang sa NEP dapat wala nang nakakalusot na proyekto na hindi kailangan ng isang probinsya o bayan. Kung ano lang ang prayoridad at pinakamahalaga para sa kanila ang dapat na nasasali sa NEP,” Escudero said.

“Pag walang endorsement o approval ng RDC, walang pera na ilalabas ang DBM para sa anumang proyekto,” he stressed.

The bill makes the RDC and LGU endorsement a condition sine qua non — an indispensable requirement — for the release of funds by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for any infrastructure project.

Escudero urged his colleagues in both chambers of Congress to prioritize the passage of the measure, stating that it will institutionalize transparency and accountability in the budget process while empowering communities to determine their own development priorities.

“This measure will address long-standing issues in the budget process and strengthen the reforms being introduced to ensure that public funds are spent wisely and effectively,” the Bicolano senator said.