A vice mayor in Bohol has signed a bank secrecy waiver and volunteered for a lifestyle check, reflecting growing pressure on officials to demonstrate transparency as the country is plagued with a widening corruption investigation into flood control projects.
Atty. Adam Relson Jala, vice mayor of Tagbilaran City, executed the waiver during Monday’s city council session and challenged fellow public servants to follow suit.
The move comes as congressional and Senate hearings have exposed alleged irregularities in hundreds of billions of pesos worth of infrastructure spending, particularly flood mitigation projects overseen by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“These corrupt people are greedy and devils as well as having no shame,” Jala said in a privilege speech before city councilors, civil society representatives and media.
He accused corrupt officials of squandering taxpayer funds “for their own whims and caprices” while most Filipinos endure economic hardship.
The Philippines has long struggled with corruption in public works projects, with the World Bank estimating that 20-30% of government procurement budgets are lost to graft.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in 2022, has pledged to combat corruption but faces mounting public skepticism as high-profile scandals continue to emerge.
Jala’s bank waiver allows unrestricted scrutiny of his financial records, a rare voluntary disclosure in a country where bank secrecy laws typically shield officials’ accounts from public view.
He plans to participate in an anti-corruption rally Sunday, today, September 21, 2025, organized by the Bohol Initiative for Good Governance.
“If a person has nothing to hide, then there is no reason not to sign a waiver,” Jala said, criticizing officials who “flaunt their wealth on social media while the majority of Filipinos are drowning in poverty.”
The transparency push extends beyond Tagbilaran City.
Joanna Cabalit-Initay, president of the Philippine Councilors League’s Bohol chapter and an ex-officio provincial board member, delivered a privilege speech on September 9, 2025 calling for enhanced monitoring of government projects.
Speaking before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial council), Cabalit-Initay proposed an inventory and tracking system for infrastructure spending amid the congressional investigations.
The session was recessed three times during her speech, apparently to allow board members time to formulate responses.
“I strongly condemn all forms of corruption. As a crusader and enlightened public servant, I cannot just simply turn my back and close my eyes,” Cabalit-Initay said, positioning herself as part of a growing anti-corruption movement in Bohol.
She urged citizens, civil society organizations and media outlets to actively monitor public works projects from inception, believing that vigilance and exposure can prevent theft of public funds.
“If democracy is truly meant to be the rule of the people, then let our people rule, the voice of the lowly people be heard,” she declared.
However, her proposal has encountered resistance from fellow board members.
Nathaniel Binlod noted that requests for project information remain pending, while Jaime Villamor cautioned that demanding inventories could create jurisdictional overlaps.
Lucile Lagunay pointed to existing resolutions requiring the Department of Public Works and Highways to report on completed projects.
The SP has received information on finished projects but not ongoing ones, according to discussions during the session.
Board member Tomas Abapo suggested forwarding the resolution to the Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure for further review.
Cabalit-Initay acknowledged sensing “some resistance” to her transparency moves but insisted that “people have the right to know how the money for projects are spent.”
Recent congressional hearings have examined alleged overpricing and kickback schemes in flood control projects worth hundreds of billions of pesos, with lawmakers calling for reforms to procurement processes and enhanced oversight mechanisms.