Two lawmakers are ramping up efforts to fast-track Senate Bill No. 2, also known as the proposed Masterplan on Infrastructure and National Development (MIND) Act, which seeks to eradicate anomalous infrastructure undertakings and stop eleventh-hour budget insertions.
Senate Senior Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance and author of the bill, expressed optimism that the legislation would accelerate national progress, generate sustainable jobs, and encourage decentralized economic development throughout the Philippines.
“This will hit two birds with one stone… Sa tingin ko, I think this will be the key. This will really stimulate economic growth all over the country. This will spread out the development, not only in Metro Manila, not only in Cebu, not only Davao will have centers of growth. It should be spread out even in other areas in Mindanao,” Ejercito said during the joint public hearing conducted by the Senate Committees on Economic Affairs, Public Works, and Finance on Thursday, July 16.
”Railways and mass transit are the key to the faster movement of people, businesses, and the economy. Infrastructure development is not just for the current administration; it is for the next generation of Filipinos,” he added.
According to Ejercito, establishing the MIND Council will guarantee that large-scale infrastructure projects remain well-coordinated, data-driven, transparent, and insulated from shifts in political administrations.
He also emphasized that the government must prioritize initiatives that offer steady employment over a heavy reliance on welfare distributions.
“Let us not simply rely on social aid programs. We need decent jobs and livelihoods that are sustainable in the long run. Financial aid is only a short-term measure; it is not sustainable. What we want are genuine jobs and livelihoods to uplift the lives of our fellow citizens,” he said.
Furthermore, Ejercito noted that the MIND Act aims to block unexpected budget add-ons during bicameral conference committee meetings while giving local communities a greater say in determining structural priorities.
”We will no longer accept insertions during the bicameral conference. We will ensure that our regional development councils and local governments have a voice in selecting the projects to be implemented. Projects can no longer be introduced without the knowledge or prioritization of the community itself,” he said.
Reflecting on recent public scrutiny over flood control initiatives, the lawmaker noted that such controversies expose the consequences of deficient oversight and planning, making the passage of the bill even more critical.
“Let us fix the system. Let us hold those responsible accountable. But let us continue the projects that our fellow citizens truly need,” he said.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who heads the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, also threw her weight behind the measure, stating it would formally institutionalize long-range development roadmaps and demand greater fiscal discipline.
Hontiveros remarked that the bill serves as a safeguard against irregular, expensive, and inefficient state spending.
“When there is no masterplan, no development plan, the budget becomes an incoherent list of projects chosen not by community needs or economic potential,” she said.
If passed into law, the MIND Act will implement a cohesive infrastructure strategy outlining clear priorities and project standards, while explicitly defining the roles of state agencies involved in building the country’s critical infrastructure.