House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Sandro Marcos has filed a measure that aims to tighten restrictions on government procurement by barring relatives of public officials up to the fourth civil degree from entering into contracts with state agencies.
Marcos, son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., announced on Monday, September 15, that the proposal had been filed earlier as House Bill (HB) 3661. He explained that the measure was designed “to uphold fairness and impartiality in the procurement process.”
Currently, Philippine procurement rules disqualify bidders related by up to the third degree to officials involved in procurement. HB 3661 seeks to extend this disqualification to the fourth degree, covering a wider circle of family relations.
In the explanatory note, Marcos pointed out that existing rules were meant to prevent “undue influence or favoritism” but admitted that corruption and irregularities still persist. “Notwithstanding such guard rail, many instances of irregularities and corruption are still committed that compromise the principles of transparency, accountability and integrity in the government procurement process,” the 31-year-old lawmaker said.
The bill further expands the definition of “public official” to include agency heads, board members, managers, military and uniformed personnel, and other government employees holding supervisory or policy-making authority, regardless of pay.
If enacted, the law will cover national agencies, local government units, and government-owned or -controlled corporations. It also mandates that within 60 days of its effectivity, agencies such as the Government Procurement Policy Board, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Public-Private Partnership Center, and the Governance Commission for GOCCs must issue implementing rules and regulations in consultation with stakeholders.
