Senate OKs bill barring public execs’ kin from government contracts

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate unanimously approved on third and final reading a bill barring relatives of public officials up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity and affinity from securing government contracts, a measure prompted by recent anomalies in public infrastructure projects.

Voting 15-0 with no abstentions on yesterday, lawmakers passed Senate Bill No. 1962, authored by Sen. Francis Escudero.

The measure, which he filed while he was still Senate president in July last year, explicitly disqualifies officials’ relatives from state procurements and provides corresponding penalties for violations.

During the session yesterday, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said the bill was drafted in direct response to recent controversies.

“And the intention of the bill is to prevent circumvention of some families to corner construction contracts in DPWH and other infrastructure agencies,” he said, referring to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said the ban should firmly apply to “Pharmally-type deals,” stressing that the law should prevent politicians and public servants from “supplying medicines and all sorts of materials to government.”