The Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros, on Thursday, July 16, began deliberations on the proposed Master Plan on Infrastructure and National Development Act (MIND Act), a measure aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and fiscal discipline in the government's infrastructure planning.

During the committee hearing, Hontiveros linked the country's recurring infrastructure scandals—including the controversial multibillion-peso flood control projects—to the absence of a comprehensive national master plan that aligns infrastructure priorities with public needs and available resources.

The senator said the proposed MIND Act would serve as a key mechanism to prevent wasteful government spending by ensuring that infrastructure projects undergo strategic and evidence-based planning before public funds are allocated.

“Ito ang paraan para pigilan na ang pagpondo sa multibillion-worth government infrastructure projects na palpak, walang silbi, hindi pinag-isipan, sira kaagad, o imbes na solusyonan ang problema sa lugar ay lalo pang pinalala," Hontiveros said.

The bill seeks to prevent unnecessary, expensive, and irregular projects by introducing reforms where they matter most: at the planning stage and at the point where plans are faithfully matched with budgets,” she added.

According to Hontiveros, the proposed legislation seeks to institutionalize a long-term infrastructure master plan that would guide national development, ensure consistency in government investments, and reduce opportunities for corruption by requiring that projects be based on clearly identified priorities rather than fragmented or politically driven proposals.