Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian in a file photo released on October 27, 2026. (Courtesy: Senate of the Philippines)
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday urged the swift passage of a measure prohibiting relatives of government officials from securing public contracts, saying it would help prevent conflicts of interest and ensure the proper use of public funds.
Senate Bill 1962, or the proposed Government Contracting and Procurement Integrity Act, seeks to curb corruption by preventing relatives of public officials from benefiting from government procurement.
“It is important that we enact this into law as soon as possible to ensure that public funds go to programs and projects that help the public, and not just to the relatives of those in power,” Gatchalian said.
The measure prohibits relatives of public officials up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity from obtaining government contracts with agencies where the officials hold positions or exercise official duties.
It seeks to prevent families of public officials from circumventing procurement rules to secure lucrative government projects, particularly public infrastructure contracts, amid ongoing controversies over flood control projects.
The prohibition covers elected local and national officials, Cabinet secretaries, senior government officials, board members of government-owned or controlled corporations, and administrators of state universities.