Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano expressed support for a bill that seeks to bar relatives of government officials from entering into contracts with the state.

Cayetano said Senate Bill No. 1962 under Committee Report No. 44 could help strengthen safeguards against corruption and conflicts of interest in government transactions.

“Part of getting to the truth is ayusin ang sistema. If we’re going to have a national conversation on how our nation can transform, how we can hold people accountable…then we have to learn how to have a national conversation. In government, you have to promote what is good and prevent what is evil,” the Minority Leader said.

The bill seeks to disqualify relatives of public officials within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity from entering or participating into any government contract.

This includes contracts involving supplies, services, infrastructure projects, joint ventures, and public-private partnership agreements, as well as subcontracting, consortiums, and other similar arrangements with government agencies, local governments, and government-owned or controlled corporations. 

The prohibition also applies when such relatives are beneficial owners, corporate officers, or board members of companies engaged in these contracts.

Under the measure, a “public official” includes heads of agencies, heads of procuring entities, members of governing boards, and other government personnel exercising supervisory or managerial functions.

Cayetano has long pushed for reforms that address corruption in public spending, particularly in government procurement.

In a previous statement, he warned that weak oversight in government transactions could allow corruption to flourish.

“We want to assure the public. Iisa lang naman ang hangarin ng Kongreso: ang tiyaking makakarating ang serbisyong dapat sa bawat Pilipino, at malinaw kung saan napupunta ang pera ng bayan, lalo na sa mga kontrata ng gobyerno,” Cayetano said. 

He also stressed the need for deeper reforms in government systems to ensure accountability.

“We need radical change. We need transformation. It wont happen unless may tamang direction at malinaw na proseso,” he said. 

If enacted, Senate Bill No. 1962 would impose a prohibition on relatives of officials from participating in government contracts, except in cases involving highly technical, proprietary, or confidential projects, where specialized expertise may be required.###