House bill targets self-praising politicians

MANILA (MindanaoExaminer / Nov. 26, 2011) – House Deputy Majority Leader Roman Romulo has called on lawmakers to support his proposed legislation that would ban self-flattering politicians from stamping their names and faces on government properties and projects – from ambulances and prowl cars, to roads and bridges.

Romulo’s House Bill 3943 said it would be “unlawful to place on any government property or project, any name, logo, picture, any identified alias, initial, character, symbol, or letter pertaining to a public official who is still in active service, has retired, or is already deceased.”

The prohibition would not apply to signboards on government properties found “culturally and historically significant,” he said, adding these may be marked with the names of departed officials who are renowned, based on guidelines from the National Historical Commission.

Romulo, who represents the lone district of Pasig City in Congress, filed the proposed “Public Works Title, Signboard and Marker Standardization Act.” The House committee on public works however has yet to act on the bill.

“We still have high hopes our bill will eventually be endorsed by the committee for floor debate and approval,” Romulo said in a statement to the Mindanao Examiner.

 The bill sets definite standards for government signposts, such as the inclusion of the statement “This is where your taxes go” as the most prominent part.

It also provides that no signboard should exceed two feet by four feet or its equivalent in size, except for ongoing projects, which may have markers of up to 12 feet by 16 feet.

In the interest of public accountability, the bill requires that signposts for these works in progress should indicate the project name, cost, and duration; the implementing/funding offices and their answerable heads; plus the private contractor/winning bidder.

Once the bill is enacted, all existing non-compliant signboards would have to be removed and revised to measure up to the new standards.

Public officials or persons who fail to comply with the new standards face fines of up to P50,000 without prejudice to administrative sanctions. They will also have to pay for the cost of putting up a new compliant marker.

If the violators are private entities or persons, such as contractors, they also face similar fines plus one-year disqualification from bidding for any government projects.

Senator Miriam Santiago is also pushing for the swift passage of her Senate Bill 1967 – an Act Prohibiting Public Officials from Claiming Credit through Signage Announcing a Public Works Project. (MindanaoExaminer)