ILOILO – Mayors across Iloilo province have banded together under the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) to demand transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in government projects, particularly amid mounting concerns over irregularities in infrastructure spending.
In a statement released on September 9, 2025, the LMP Iloilo Chapter declared its support for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for impartial investigations into questionable national and local projects, stressing that good governance must be at the heart of public service.
“We stand in solidarity with the citizens we serve,” the mayors said, emphasizing their shared duty to uphold integrity and restore public trust in government institutions.
The group outlined five guiding principles for municipal leadership:
* Transparency – ensuring public access to information and oversight of projects by civil society groups, academe, and people’s councils from planning to completion.
* Accountability – requiring officials to be answerable for their actions and policies, with mechanisms to monitor projects and address liabilities.
* Participatory Governance – actively involving citizens and organizations in decision-making to ensure services are inclusive and responsive to community needs.
* Effectiveness and Efficiency – implementing projects on time and within budget to reduce wastage, strengthen trust, and promote sustainability.
* Empowered Local Governance – exercising autonomy while maintaining close coordination with national agencies in rolling out and monitoring government-funded projects.
The LMP stressed that infrastructure programs, if carried out with integrity, are key to spurring economic growth and delivering essential services.
By reaffirming these principles, Iloilo’s municipal leaders aim to set a model for clean and transformative governance that other provinces may follow.
“This is not just about delivering projects,” the group said, “but about ensuring that every peso spent truly serves the people.”/PN