Chiz: Ban gov't officials and relatives from public procurement projects

CHIZ: BAN GOV'T OFFICIALS AND RELATIVES FROM PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROJECTS

Senate President Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero said on Tuesday (July 29) that all government officials and their relatives must be banned from participating in public procurement and must cease acting as contractors or suppliers to the state to fight corruption, particularly in projects involving infrastructure and flood control.

Senate President Escudero's push for a new law for the prohibition is also in support of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s call for stronger public accountability in his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), during which he condemned the abuse and misuse of public funds for questionable and failed flood control projects.

"Bilang katugunan sa panawagan ng Pangulo kaugnay sa corruption, conflict of interest at hindi tamang paggamit ng pondo, maghahain kami ng isang panukalang batas na ang layunin ay ipagbawal up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity and affinity ang sinuman na mambabatas o opisyal ng pamahalaan, nasyonal man o lokal, na maging kontraktor o supplier sa pamahalaan," Senate President Escudero told a press conference.

"Para sa akin, klarong conflict of interest 'yun, at hindi dapat pinapahintulutan hangga't hindi nawawala ang opisinang pinanghahawakan ng opisyal," he added. "Pinapadraft ko na ngayon at inaasahang maipa-file namin kung hindi mamaya ay bukas dahil simpleng panukala lamang 'yan."

The measure seeks to expand safeguards in public procurement and clarifies the scope of disqualification by defining the term "government contract" to cover any agreement between a private entity and any government agency or instrumentality--including government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs) and local government units--that pertains to:

• supplies, materials, machinery, equipment, and services;

• infrastructure projects;

• joint ventures;

• public-private partnership projects; and

• other similar or analogous agreements or undertakings.

This shall include arrangements where the government acts as the procuring party, partner, shareholder, implementing agency, end user, or a party contributing public funds or property. Contracts that are highly technical, proprietary, or confidential in nature shall be excluded.

President Marcos, in his SONA, rebuked government officials for corruption involving funds meant to address flooding around the country, despite funneling a substantial budget for this purpose, following widespread floods that swept many areas in Luzon due to storms and habagat for days.

"Mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino ... Let us not pretend anymore. The whole public already knows the racketeering going on: kickbacks, initiative, errata, SOP, 'for the boys,'" the visibly irked President said.

He ordered a comprehensive audit and the public release of flood control projects from the past three years to enable citizen review.

To ensure that this measure becomes a legislative priority, the Senate President said he will propose its inclusion in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) agenda, emphasizing the need to institutionalize safeguards against ethical breaches in public procurement.

"Isa 'yun sa hihilingin ko na maging priority measure at maisama sa LEDAC. 'Yun ang pangunahing pag-uusapan namin mamaya kaya kami magko-caucus."

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