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Joint Statement
Business Groups Urge the Creation of a Fully-Empowered Anti-Corruption Body

10 December 2025 – We, the undersigned Philippine Business Groups, respectfully convey our urgent appeal for the Senate of the Philippines to immediately pass the bill creating the Independent People’s Commission (IPC).

Likewise, we urge the House of Representatives to act without delay on the counterpart measure establishing the Independent Commission Against Infrastructure Corruption (ICAIC).

Our country urgently needs a far more empowered, broad-based, and truly independent anti-corruption body—one that is equipped with the mandate and authority that the current Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) does not possess.

A fully empowered IPC or ICAIC will strengthen the capacity of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice to pursue corruption cases more effectively and restore credibility to the pursuit of integrity in public service.

At present, the ICI functions only in an advisory capacity. It may request the presence of resource persons and recommend courses of action—whether the filing of charges, the seizure of assets, or the issuance of hold-departure orders—but it cannot act decisively on its own.

The proposed IPC or ICAIC, in contrast, will have full investigative and prosecutorial powers. It will be able to conduct comprehensive probes into allegations of corruption in government projects; file administrative and criminal cases against erring public officials, employees, and private sector partners; and recommend needed reforms in our laws, systems, and institutions.

At a time when blatant and widespread misuse of public funds has eroded confidence in our institutions, our nation is confronting a profound crisis of public trust.

The Filipino people deserve nothing less than the full truth. A truly independent IPC or ICAIC will guarantee transparency and accountability—no cover-up, no sacred cow, no political maneuvering. It will safeguard the people’s money and help rebuild the people’s trust that is essential to a healthy democracy.

ALYANSA AGRIKULTURA | ANVIL BUSINESS CLUB | ASIA PACIFIC REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION (APREA) – PHILIPPINES | ASSOCIATION OF FILIPINO FRANCHISERS, INC. (AFFI) | BANKERS ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (BAP) | BISHOPS-BUSINESSMEN’S CONFERENCE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (BBC) | BLOCK CHAIN COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINES | CEBU BUSINESS CLUB (CBC) | CEBU CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (CCCII) | CEBU LEADS FOUNDATION (CLF) | CHINESE FILIPINO BUSINESS CLUB, INC. (CFBCI) | CONNECTED WOMEN | EMPLOYERS CONFEDERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (ECOP) | ENTREPRENEURS’ ORGANIZATION (EO) PHILIPPINES | FEDERATION OF FILIPINO CHINESE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, INC. (FFCCCII) | FEDERATION OF PHILIPPINE INDUSTRIES (FPI) | FILIPINA CEO CIRCLE (FCC) | FINANCIAL EXECUTIVES INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES (FINEX) | FINTECH ALLIANCE PHILIPPINES | FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC FREEDOM (FEF) | GREEN EDSA MOVEMENT (GEM) | ILOILO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, INC. (ILED) | INSTITUTE FOR SOLIDARITY IN ASIA (ISA) | INSTITUTE OF CORPORATE DIRECTORS (ICD) | INTEGRITY INITIATIVE (II) | INVESTMENT HOUSE ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (IHAP) | IT & BUSINESS PROCESS ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC. (IBPAP) | JUSTICE REFORM INITIATIVE (JRI) | MAKATI BUSINESS CLUB (MBC) | MICROFINANCE COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINES (MCPI) | NATIONAL REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION (NREA) | NEXTGEN ORGANIZATION OF WOMEN CORPORATE DIRECTORS (NOWCD) | ORGANIZATION OF SOCIALIZED HOUSING DEVELOPERS OF THE PHILIPPINES (OSHDP) | PEOPLE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (PMAP) | PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL SERVICE CONTRACTORS, INC. (PALSCON) | PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION OF SECURITIES BROKERS AND DEALERS, INC. (PASBDI) | PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP (GO NEGOSYO) | PHILIPPINE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (PCCI) | PHILIPPINE COUNCIL OF ASSOCIATIONS AND ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES (PCAAE) | | PHILIPPINE EXPORTERS CONFEDERATION, INC. (PHILEXPORT) | PHILIPPINE FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION (PFA) | PHILIPPINE HOTEL OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC. (PHOA) | PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS (PICPA) | PHILIPPINE INVESTMENTS FUNDS ASSOCIATION (PIFA) | PHILIPPINE LIFE INSURANCE ASSOCIATION | PHILIPPINE RETAILERS ASSOCIATION (PRA) | PHILIPPINE WOMEN’S ECONOMIC NETWORK (PHILWEN) | PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY INSTITUTE OF ASIA (PASIA) | RURAL BANKERS ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (RBAP) | SEMICONDUCTOR AND ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES IN THE PHILIPPINES, INC. (SEIPI) | SHAREHOLDERS’ ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (SHAREPHIL) | SUBDIVISION AND HOUSING DEVELOPERS ASSOCIATION (SHDA) | TAX MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (TMAP) | UP SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (UPSEAA) | WOMEN’S BUSINESS COUNCIL PHILIPPINES (WBCP)

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