Floods, Fraud, and Foreigners: Is the ICI America’s New Pet Project?

Wading Through Graft or Waving at Washington? The ICI’s Shady US Meetup

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — October 19, 2025

I. Drowning in Promises, Sinking in Lies

When Typhoon Carina turned Metro Manila into a giant swimming pool last year, it wasn’t just water flooding our homes—it was the stench of billions in pesos, meant for flood control, flushed down the drain of corruption. Families waded through despair, their dreams submerged, while the elite sipped coffee in air-conditioned offices. So when Michael Keheller, the United States (US) Embassy’s acting deputy chief of mission, slipped into a clandestine meeting with the newly minted Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on October 17, 2025, you’d hope it’s a lifeline for accountability. Or is it just another foreign power fishing in our muddy waters? Here’s the burning question: Is this a global push to clean up our mess, or the latest episode in the Philippines’ never-ending telenovela of foreign meddling?

II. The Big Question: Savior or Puppetmaster?

Let’s cut to the chase: Is Keheller’s visit a welcome dose of international scrutiny for a nation drowning in graft, or a blatant violation of our sovereignty, with the US playing puppeteer to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) strings? This isn’t just about a diplomat’s curiosity—it’s about whether the Philippines can clean its own house or needs a foreign broom to sweep away the rot.

III. The Rose-Colored Lens: A Diplomatic Bromance for Justice

Let’s put on our optimistic barong for a moment. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure, barely a month old, is tasked with untangling a web of corruption—421 “ghost” flood control projects, billions in losses, and whispers of big names like Zaldy Co and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Keheller’s visit could be a diplomatic high-five, signaling that the US, a major investor in our stability, wants to see us succeed. The US State Department’s September 2025 Investment Climate Report already branded our Bureau of Customs a bribery bazaar—imagine the sequel when they tally up our infrastructure scams. A chat with Keheller could open doors to forensic audits, whistleblower protections, or just a global spotlight to shame our crooks into submission. With the US backing anti-corruption through programs like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), this meeting might boost the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s cred, convincing investors that the Philippines isn’t just a playground for kleptocrats. Maybe this is the world rallying to keep Juan dela Cruz from drowning in his own backyard.

IV. The Barok Bite: A Backroom Betrayal of Sovereignty

Now, let’s ditch the rose-tinted glasses and get sarcastic. A US diplomat waltzing into a secret powwow with a body probing our dirtiest laundry? That’s not diplomacy—it’s a sovereignty gut-punch. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure was sold to us as independent, yet here it is, barely crawling, already cozying up to Uncle Sam’s deputy. What secrets did Chairperson Andres Reyes Jr. and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson spill behind those locked doors? Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka claims it was just a chat about “what we’ve done, what we’ll do” (Philippine Star). Oh, please. If it’s so innocent, why not invite the press—or the taxpayers whose money’s been looted? The optics are putrid: the US calls our agencies corrupt, then gets VIP access to our anti-corruption squad. This is less about accountability and more about Washington flexing its muscle, treating us like a banana republic needing a foreign nanny. And the timing? Divine. Fresh off the US State Department’s corruption exposé, Keheller’s sniffing around like a bloodhound. If the Independent Commission for Infrastructure is already whispering to foreigners, how “independent” can it be? This isn’t a meeting—it’s a leash, and we’re the ones collared.

V. The Global Game: Pawns in a Superpower Showdown

Zoom out, and this meeting reeks of geopolitics. The Philippines is the belle of the ball in the US-China rivalry, with Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative pouring concrete and cash into our roads and dams, often with strings thicker than EDSA traffic. The US, waving its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and “Build Better More” pom-poms, wants to counter China’s clout. Keheller’s visit is a chess move—Washington signaling it’s watching, maybe even nudging the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to probe projects tied to certain foreign investors. If the commission starts digging into China-funded flood controls, is it justice or a US-scripted hit job? President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with his Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) expansions and International Criminal Court (ICC) flirtations, risks painting the Philippines as America’s lapdog. Meanwhile, China’s probably sharpening its knives, ready to scream foul if their projects get targeted. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure, wittingly or not, is a pawn in a game where superpowers call the shots, and we’re left holding the bag.

VI. The Final Jab: Prove You’re Not a Puppet Show

So, was Keheller’s visit a step toward salvation or a sovereignty sellout? The answer lies in what the Independent Commission for Infrastructure does next. If it wants to wash off the stench of this controversy, it better act fast and fierce. Here’s Barok’s no-nonsense playbook:

Spill the Tea, Publicly: Release a detailed, public report on the meeting. What was discussed? What data was shared? If it’s just diplomatic chit-chat, prove it (Philippine Star). Secrecy fuels distrust, and Filipinos deserve to know if their anti-corruption body is already compromised.
Slay the Dragons, No Mercy: Name the culprits behind those 421 ghost projects—whether they’re in Congress, Malacañang, or foreign capitals. Start with Zaldy Co’s trail and don’t stop until every stolen peso is traced. Independence means no one’s off-limits.
Tell Uncle Sam to Back Off: If the US offers aid—technical, financial, or otherwise—reject it unless it’s 100% transparent and agenda-free. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure serves Filipinos, not foreign embassies.
Let the People In: Hold public forums, not elite backroom deals. Invite barangay leaders, flood victims, and taxpayers to weigh in. If the commission is for the nation, it can’t hide in the shadows.
Deliver or Die: Recover the billions. Prosecute the guilty. Build flood systems that actually work. Anything less, and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure is just another acronym in a long line of broken promises.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure stands at a fork in the road: it can be the machete that hacks through decades of corruption, or another toothless prop in a foreign-directed drama. Keheller’s visit isn’t the crime—it’s the symptom. The real test is whether the commission can turn this scandal into a springboard for justice, or if it’ll sink in the same flood of cynicism that’s drowned us for years. Prove us wrong, ICI. We’re watching, and we’re tired of swimming in your sludge.