Former public works secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson has resigned as Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) commissioner, ICI chairperson Andres Reyes confirmed on Wednesday, December 3. Singson, 77, cited the intense and stressful work as his reason, effective December 15. He is the second official to quit the commission after Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong resigned as special adviser in September.
In Manila, Philippines, Rogelio “Babes” Singson, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary under President Benigno S. Aquino III from 2010 to 2016, has resigned as a member of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). This was confirmed by ICI chairperson Andres Reyes on December 3, 2025. Singson, an industrial engineer aged 77, stepped down a few months after the ICI was established by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to probe irregularities in infrastructure projects, particularly the flood control initiatives at the heart of a major 2025 corruption scandal.
Singson cited the “very intense and stressful ICI work” as his reason for resigning, effective December 15. He is the second official to leave the commission; in September, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong quit as special adviser just days after his appointment. The ICI is organizing hearings on the flood control mess, which has uncovered ghost projects and kickbacks, impacting the economy with a 4% GDP growth in the third quarter of 2025, the weakest since 2011.
While reports show no direct contradictions, Singson’s resignation highlights challenges for the commission amid ongoing probes into an estimated P180 billion lost to ghost flood control projects since 2016, per Senate estimates from Sen. Ping Lacson. This event underscores broader efforts for transparency in public works.