‘Eradicating corruption will take several lifetimes’

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January 29, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines —  In her first public remarks since resigning from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Sycip Gorres Velayo (SGV) & Co. country managing partner Rossana Fajardo admitted that “it’s very hard to undo” corruption in government.

“Probably, if you want to correct government or correct corruption, then it would take several lifetimes, because then you would probably need to take out everyone who is part of the system,” Fajardo said on Tuesday during the 55th annual membership meeting and foundation day of the business-led non-governmental organization Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

Fajardo said that during her three-month stint as ICI commissioner, she saw the cunningness of officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and politicians behind the multibillion-peso flood control mess.

“When I was in the ICI, and then we were trying to understand the budget process and the DPWH processes, you would say that there are processes in place, and then there are controls in place,” the resigned commissioner said.

“The issue really is that people do not want to follow certain procedures, certain control points and intentionally override these controls,” she added.

Fajardo admitted that the people who devised the kickback scheme in the flood control mess “were very smart.”

“Even if you put the smartest and the most capable, if values are not there or are misplaced, they can do things that are contrary to what they have been asked to do,” she stressed.

Fajardo announced her resignation on Dec. 26, 2025, saying that she had already fulfilled her duties.

She followed the footsteps of fellow ICI commissioner Rogelio Singson, who stepped down on Dec. 15 due to health reasons. The former DPWH chief has since returned to the agency as a member of a technical working group assessing new flood control projects.

The public only saw brief glimpses of Fajardo, such as when she quizzed officials from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) about the extent to which they had monitored the previous budgets during congressional deliberations, where alleged insertions linked to flood project kickbacks were discussed.

“Who do you hold accountable for this very large difference between the NEP (National Expenditure Program) and GAA (General Appropriations Act)?” Fajardo asked DBM acting Secretary Rolando Toledo during a Dec. 15 hearing.

During the PBSP roundtable, Fajardo summoned institutions and the private sector to be more demanding of government in the face of corrupt officials who are prouder and braver in acting innocent.

“I think it’s time to be more demanding, to be more outspoken and to bring our concerns to the right people, institutions, personalities who can be a voice and really restore integrity and accountability in government,” she said.

Business realities

During the same roundtable discussion, business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan shared his frustrations over conducting business in the Philippines, from red tape to weak institutions.

“When you’re facing government, when you look at your back and you’re looking for support, we have no strong institutions which you can rely upon to help you or protect you – a strong and honest media, a very strong and honest judiciary, a vociferous academe and the church,” he said.

Pangilinan – chairman, president and chief executive officer of PLDT – cited the telco industry as a prime example of how bureaucracy hampers its capability to rationalize.

“The government is not incentivizing us, encouraging us to consolidate,” he said. “In fact, the PCC (Philippine Competition Commission) will probably prohibit that sort of thing.”

Despite the web of challenges, Pangilinan conceded that businesses must make an impact on society, not only because it’s good but because it’s a matter of self-preservation.

“The ultimate test of businesses’ efficiency and utility to the country is how well you have improved the lives and welfare of our people when you got into that business,” he said.

Other speakers at the PBSP event include Ramon Magsaysay awardee Fr. Flavie Villanueva, former finance undersecretary Cielo Magno and Robinsons Retail Holdings independent director Manolito Tayag.

Not guilty plea

Dismissed DPWH Bulacan First District Engineering Office (DEO) assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez and two other former officials have maintained their innocence of the alleged P92.8-million ghost flood control project in Pandi town.

Appearing before the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division for their scheduled arraignment yesterday, Hernandez, dismissed DPWH Bulacan First DEO Construction Section chief Jaypee Mendoza and former cashier Christina Pineda pleaded not guilty to violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Meanwhile, the arraignment of former DPWH Bulacan First DEO engineer Arjay Domasig was reset to Feb. 9 as he was not represented by any lawyer during yesterday’s proceeding.

Domasig asked for the deferment of his arraignment, informing the Fourth Division that he just recently terminated the services of his previous legal team. Domasig assured the court that he is now in talks with a new lawyer who would soon represent him.

Aside from Domasig, yet to be arraigned for their graft case are former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and former DPWH Bulacan First DEO accountant Juanito Mendoza.

Revilla and Juanito Mendoza both have pending motions to quash the case information or charge sheet. Their arraignment was also reset to Feb. 9.

Another accused, former DPWH Bulacan First DEO engineer Emelita Juat, had already pleaded “not guilty” to graft during her arraignment last Jan. 23.

For the accused who were already arraigned, the Fourth Division set a preliminary conference on Feb. 13 wherein the defense and the prosecution are expected to mark their documentary exhibits and stipulate facts.

The Fourth Division also set a pretrial conference on Feb. 19 for the defense and the prosecution’s submission of their final list of witnesses and documentary exhibits they intend to present during the trial and to thresh out some issues before the start of the trial proper.

Revilla and his six co-accused are also facing a non-bailable case of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents before the anti-graft court’s Third Division. –  Elizabeth Marcelo