PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos left from Villamor Air Base in Pasay City for South Korea for the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2. — PHILIPPINE STAR/NOEL B. PABALATE

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ordered all Philippine government agencies to adopt a cost-reduction system modeled after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), as part of a broader push to curb corruption and redirect savings to social programs.

“It will not be limited to public works, but shall be the norm across all of government,” Mr. Marcos said before departing for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. The summit runs from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2.

The directive covers the Departments of Education, Agriculture, Health, Transportation, and other agencies, which must now follow the DPWH’s pricing reforms aimed at aligning project costs with market rates. Mr. Marcos said the policy could cut the 2026 costs of farm-to-market roads, classrooms, hospitals and irrigation systems by up to 50%.

“The quality of what we build will not be compromised. The only thing weakened will be corruption,” he said. Funds saved will be reallocated to programs that “uplift families, support livelihoods, and strengthen communities,” he added.

The move follows revelations during his July state of the nation address about a multibillion-peso public works scam involving kickbacks from substandard or nonexistent projects. Mr. Marcos earlier directed DPWH Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon to slash construction material costs to market levels, a step expected to save the government up to P45 billion.

APEC AGENDA
Mr. Marcos flew to South Korea on Thursday for the 32nd APEC Summit, hosted by President Lee Jae-Myung. This year’s theme, “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect. Innovate. Prosper,” aligns with the Philippines’ agenda to boost digital connectivity and investment flows.

The President said he will push for “greater digital and physical connectivity, supply chain resilience, and investment facilitation” to promote inclusive growth. He is also set to address the APEC CEO Summit to pitch the Philippines as a hub for innovation and investment.

“The Philippines is not merely ready. We are a reliable, forward-looking partner in the Asia-Pacific. Invest in the Filipino,” he said. Mr. Marcos will also meet with Korean business leaders in Busan to strengthen trade and investment ties, and with members of the Filipino community there.

The APEC meeting takes place amid heightened global trade uncertainty as US President Donald J. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold talks that could shape the economic outlook. “The world is watching because the agreements made between two of the largest economies in the world will certainly affect every single citizen of the world,” he said. 

APEC’s 21-member economies account for almost half of global trade and more than 60% of world gross domestic product. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said the summit will tackle artificial intelligence, demographic shifts and creative industries, while bilateral meetings with other leaders are still being finalized. The South China Sea dispute will not be discussed, it added, as it falls outside APEC’s mandate.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
Meanwhile, political analysts said Mr. Marcos should strengthen transparency and anti-corruption measures by pushing for a Freedom of Information (FOI) law and ensuring regular disclosure of officials’ wealth, amid renewed scrutiny of public accountability in the wake of a major infrastructure scandal.

Hansley A. Juliano, a political science lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University, said the President could “claim moral ascendancy” by supporting FOI legislation and enforcing transparency within his administration.

“Mr. Marcos can enable not only the Ombudsman but also push for FOI reforms himself,” he said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

All 24 senators this week released their statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) after the Office of the Ombudsman eased restrictions on public access to the records. The policy reversed a ban imposed under former President Rodrigo R. Duterte that had limited disclosure to protect officials’ privacy.

Senator Mark A. Villar remained the richest lawmaker with a net worth of P1.26 billion, followed by Senator Rafael T. Tulfo and his wife, Party-list Rep. Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo, with P1.05 billion, according to Senate data.

Senator Erwin T. Tulfo ranked third with P497 million. Senators Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero, Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel and Francis Pancratius N. Pangilinan reported the lowest net worth, ranging from P18.8 million to P28.7 million.

Several bills have been filed in Congress seeking to institutionalize an FOI system that would require all government branches to disclose key records, including SALNs, procurement documents and audit reports.

Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a fellow at the Ateneo Policy Center, said the release of the senators’ wealth statements was a positive step, but warned that public accessibility should be continuous rather than reactionary.

“Public access to SALNs must be guaranteed at all times. No exceptions,” he said via Messenger chat, adding that the President should issue an executive order requiring all executive officials to make their net worth public.

If the President is “really serious” about leaving an anti-corruption legacy, he should mandate full compliance with the Ombudsman’s transparency rules, Mr. Yusingco said. Blocking access to SALNs, he added, only “deepens public distrust in government.”

Gary D. Ador Dionisio, dean of De La Salle–College of St. Benilde’s School of Diplomacy and Governance, said previous SALN reports from 2016 to 2023 should also be disclosed for public scrutiny.

The academe and civil society should be allowed to examine past SALNs to understand how lawmakers’ wealth evolved, he said via Messenger chat.

Calls for greater transparency have intensified as the Marcos administration investigates a multibillion-peso flood control scam allegedly involving lawmakers, government engineers and private contractors accused of siphoning public funds. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Adrian H. Halili