The head of the Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers pledged Monday to root out corruption in government ranks, assuring overseas Filipino workers that officials implicated in shady deals will face swift accountability under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directives.
Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, speaking to the Filipino community in Shanghai during a weekend service caravan at the Philippine Consulate General, highlighted Marcos’ recent executive order establishing an independent commission to probe irregularities in infrastructure projects. The move comes as OFWs voiced deep frustration over graft, saying it deters them from returning home.
“All this started at our first cabinet meeting at the beginning of the year,” Cacdac said, recalling the president’s disappointment with budget insertions in the 2025 fiscal plan. “That began a full accountability, integrity in public service — that is what we are implementing, and that is clear in the president’s messages.”
Marcos signed Executive Order 94 last Thursday, creating the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to investigate flood control and other public works projects plagued by anomalies. “There is an EO 94 that has appointed an Independent Commission,” Cacdac told the gathering. “It is clear that there is a determination to reveal the truth and to hold people accountable and responsible.”
During the event, OFW leaders expressed outrage over corruption scandals, linking them to broader hesitancy among expatriates to repatriate. In response, Cacdac pointed to concrete actions by his department, including the recall of a labor attaché from Los Angeles to face probes over alleged ties to dubious construction deals.
The official, Macy Monique Maglanque, was implicated by Sen. Panfilo Lacson in irregular flood-control projects in Bulacan province. “She is said to be the president of a construction company with a dubious track record,” Cacdac said. “The former DPWH Secretary is also said to be a partner in anomalous flood control projects in Bulacan.”
Maglanque will return from her U.S. post to undergo investigations by both the new commission and the DMW’s internal review. “I promise you, we vow to pursue the track of accountability here,” Cacdac added.
He also cited complaints filed by the DMW with the Ombudsman against former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration chief Arnel Ignacio and two deputies. The case involves a controversial 1.4 billion peso ($24.5 million) land purchase, flagged for issues like a 700 million peso payment before finalizing the deed, inflated valuations including 97 million pesos for demolished condos, and bypassed board approvals.
“Here at the DMW, we also have officials who we held accountable on our side,” Cacdac said. “We will do our part.”
