Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s recent statement revealed his control and direct interference over the hearings and deliberations on the 2026 national budget. Marcos said he personally ordered Congress to livestream the bicameral conference, where the differences between the budget versions of the House of Representatives and the Senate are reconciled.

According to Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Marcos’ statement proves that he has primary responsibility for forming and scrutinizing the draft of the national budget. This also shows that Marcos is the mastermind of the anomalies and corruption in past national budgets, especially in flood control projects.

“He is involved in every step of the budget process, and his recent pronouncement about the bicam underscores his absolute power on how the budget will be finalized,” Bayan stated.

The group added that Marcos’s power over the budget means he is aware of the dubious and anomalous projects inserted by his allies in both chambers. “He also made sure that pork barrel projects embedded in unprogrammed appropriations will be added in the national budget,” Bayan said.

Under the Republic of the Philippines’ laws and constitution, Marcos as the chief executive does not have a hand or ability to interfere in the bicameral conference. “To appease public anger against large-scale corruption, he wanted to claim that the budget process will be transparent,” Bayan said.

Instead of convincing the people, the group declared that Marcos has only further exposed himself as the real operator and mastermind of grand corruption in government. “Marcos Jr should therefore be made accountable for widespread corruption and turning the budget into one big ATM for bureaucrat capitalists like him,” the group stated.

ICI cover-up

Aligned with the Marcos regime’s attempt to conceal its involvement in massive corruption, the administration’s newly created Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) is exerting all effort to cover Marcos’ tracks. Recently, the ICI’s new spokesperson reprimanded protesters instead of pursuing and holding accountable those involved in stealing billions in public funds.

According to Bayan, ICI special spokesperson Rodolfo Azurin’s inaugural speech reveals the commission’s intended emphasis and direction. “The ICI has yet to declare that it will look into the role of Marcos Jr and Malacañang in the release of pork barrel funds and approval of corruption-tainted projects,” the group stated.

The group added that Azurin only proves the commission’s lack of credibility. The ICI also continuously refuses to publicize its hearings for public scrutiny and monitoring.

“It seems the real mission of the ICI is to douse cold water on the growing discontent against corruption and impunity and prevent the people from demanding accountability against Marcos Jr,” Bayan said.

Marcos is primarily responsible and accountable for the anomalies in flood control projects and for the overall corruption in infrastructure projects, “just like his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Bayan added.

To continue denouncing the Marcos regime and all those involved in corruption, Bayan and its allied organizations will lead protests in the coming weeks.