Sotto pushes for immediate passage of Independent People's Commission bill
At A Glance
- Senate President Vicente Sotto III stressed that the creation of the Independent People's Commission (IPC) would help bring back people's trust, protect public funds, and make sure government projects are done properly and for the benefit of Filipinos.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on Sunday, September 14 that he will formally ask President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to certify the proposed Independent People’s Commission as urgent to expedite the passage of the bill.
Sotto said Senate Bill No. 1215 primarily seeks to ensure that the President’s Executive Order No. 94, establishing the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, will continue investigations beyond infrastructure projects and delve into other agencies’ programs.
“While the President’s Executive Order is immediate, my bill ensures permanence. The IPC will not just be a stop-gap measure, it will institutionalize oversight and prevent instances like this from happening again in the future,” Sotto said.
The proposed IPC, he said, will not only look into projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), but also other agencies with infrastructure programs such as the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), and many more.
Moreover, Sotto stressed that the creation of the IPC is important as it would help bring back people’s trust, protect public funds, and make sure government projects are done properly and for the benefit of Filipinos.
“Corruption in projects does not only happen in roads and bridges. It also affects farm-to-market roads, hospitals, and schools,” he said.
“That’s why this bill is important because it protects taxpayers’ money and makes sure projects truly serve the people,” Sotto reiterated.