HOUSE Majority Leader Sandro Marcos has filed HB No. 3611 seeking to prohibit relatives of public officials within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity from entering into government contracts amid the graft and corruption issues in the flood control controversy.
“This measure is simple but crucial: to strengthen accountability, and ensure integrity in public service, government funds are meant to serve the Filipino people, not to enrich relatives or perpetuate undue advantage,” said the presidential son, adding that the measure is meant “to uphold fairness and impartiality in the procurement process.”
The bill bars relatives of government officials, including parents, children, siblings, cousins, and in-laws, from directly or indirectly participating in bidding to win contracts, concessions, or similar agreements with government agencies and departments.
It said the current government procurement system, particularly the New Government Procurement Act (Republic Act No. 12009), provides for the mandatory disclosure of relationship, by consanguinity or affinity up to the third civil degree, between the private bidder and the head of the procuring entity, the procurement agent, members and secretariat of the bids and awards committee, the technical working group (TWG), head of the project management office (PMO), or the end-user or implementing unit, and the project consultants and “disqualifies bidders related to such persons from participating in the procurement contracts of the procuring entity concerned.”
“The said regulatory disclosures and corresponding disqualification are designed to uphold fairness and impartiality in the procurement process by preventing undue influence or favoritism. In turn, this is intended to protect public interest and scarce resources. Notwithstanding such safeguards, many instances of irregularities and corruption are still committed that compromise the principles of transparency, accountability and integrity in the government procurement process,” the bill said.
The bill said it seeks to “tighten the process by expanding the ambit of disqualification to prohibit relatives of public officials within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity from entering into contracts with any government agency or instrumentality, including government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs) and local government units (LGUs).”
