Manila, July 16 -- The Senate is weighing whether pending legislation should create new safeguards against wasteful infrastructure spending or reinforce a national master plan already required under existing law.

The committee on economic affairs, chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, on Thursday opened deliberations on four versions of the proposed Masterplan for Infrastructure and National Development (MIND) Act.

Hontiveros said the measure should stop poorly planned, unnecessary and irregular projects at the planning and budgeting stages, citing controversies surrounding flood-control spending.

"Kapag walang masterplan, walang development plan, ang budget ay nagiging listahan ng mga proyektong hindi nakabatay sa pangangailangan ng komun...