Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

15" CONGRESS

House BILLNO.__3943

Introduced by Representative Roman T. Romulo
Lone District of Pasig City

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Under Section 1, Article XI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution it is explicit
that:

“Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all
times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility,
integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest
lives.”

The elected and appointed public officials are mere trustees of the public
office together with its funds and must at all times be accountable to the people.
This fiduciary relationship necessitates that the taxes from which public funds are
largely generated be spend strictly for the benefit of the public. Public interest
must be the primordial and the main commitment of those in the public office.

Section 28, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution further requires
adoption and implementation of a policy of full public disclosure of all
transactions involving public interest subject to reasonable conditions prescribed
by law.

As servant of the people, public officials are duty bound to adequately and
promptly inform the public of the management and administration in the
government. Public officials are representatives of the general will of the public
and appointed in accordance with the established rules and regulation, hence,
the public office should remain to be for the people and its programs and projects
should be identified under such office rather than to any public official

The public must be informed of the affairs and transactions of the
government and the public officials should also be recognized for their sincere
commitment and active contribution to the furtherance of the public good

Through the passage of this Bill, the public would be informed where their
taxes go and determine the performance of public officials and the rightful public
officials would be recognized for their worthy contribution to the society.

For these reasons, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

RR

REP. ROMAN T. ROMULO


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

15" CONGRESS

HOUSE BILL NO. _3943

Introduced by Representative Roman T. Romulo
Lone District of Pasig City

AN ACT STANDARDIZING THE TITLES, SIGN BOARDS AND MARKERS.
FOR GOVERNMENT PROPERTY, PROGRAMS AND/OR PROJECTS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the “Public Works Title, Sign
Board and Marker Standardization Act of 2011”

Section 2. Declaration of Policy - It is the policy of the State, pursuant to the
Constitutional principle that a public office is a public trust, that elected and
appointed public officials are mere trustees of the public office together with its
funds and must at all times be accountable to the people. This fiduciary
relationship requires that the taxes from which public funds are largely generated
be spend strictly for the benefit of the public interest and not for personal interest,
and that public works be identified with the public office and not with the public
official

Section 3. Definition of Terms — For the purposes of this Act, the term:

a) “goverment” includes the national government, the local governments,
and all other instrumentalities, agencies or branches of the Republic of the
Philippines including government-owned or-controlled corporations, and
their subsidiaries.

b) ‘sign board” refers to any temporary means used to promote and
disseminate information about a government property, program and/or
project such as but not limited to billboards, posters, tarpaulins and similar
means.

©) “marker” includes any permanent conspicuous object used to identify or
an identifying symbol or design placed in a government property, program
andlor project

4) “public officials” includes elective and appointive officials and employees,
permanent or temporary, whether in the career or non-career service,
including military and police personnel, whether or not they receive
compensation, regardless of amount.

e) ‘property, programs and/or projects” refers to all real estate, motor
vehicles including ambulances, programs and/or projects of the

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government at any stage and form including infrastructure projects such
as but not limited to buildings and roads.

f) “title” refers to the name or term used to identify the government property,
program andior project.

Section 4. Scope — This Act shall govern the titles, sign boards and markers for
all government property, programs and/or projects.

This Act shall also apply to property, programs and/or projects where, although
no public funds were used, the government has a contribution and/or
participation in whatever form, such as but not limited to partnership with private
firms.

Section 5. Exception — This Act shall not apply to property, programs and/or
projects wholly funded by a public official from his/her personal account;
Provided that there is sufficient proof to the foregoing; Provided further that
where doubt on the source of fund exists, there shall be strict compliance with
this Act until the issue is fully resolved.

This Act shall also not apply to titles, sign boards and markers on government
property, programs and/or projects which are found to be culturally and
historically significant and to the names of deceased public officials who are
nationally and historically significant based on the rules and regulations
promulgated by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) in
compliance with this Act

Section 6. Mandatory Information and Statement on Sign board and Marker - All
sign boards and markers on government property, programs and/or projects shall
have the mandatory written or expressed statement “This is where your
taxes/public funds go.” The mandatory statement shall be the most prominent
among the information on the sign board and marker.

Subject to the immediately succeeding paragraph and to Section 10 of this Act, it
shall be unlawful to place on any government property, program 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, whether or not he/she has been involved in the property, program
and/or project.

The public office/s owning the property or responsible for the program and/or
project may opt to indicate the name andior official logo of such public office/s
and the name of accountable public official/s on the sign board and marker
provided that these shall not exceed the font size/size of all other information in
the sign board and marker and provided always that these shall not be the most
prominent among the information in the sign board and marker

Section 7. Marker Specification — Markers shall not exceed two (2) feet by four
(4) feet or its equivalent.

Markers on the government property, programs and/or projects itself shall be
modestly and appropriately written in compliance with the attainment of the
purpose of this Act.

Section 8. Title of Government Property, Programs and/or Projects — The title of
government property, programs and/or projects shall be neutral.

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It shall be unlawful to name and identify a government property, program and/or
project after a 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, whether or not he/she has been involved in the program
and/or project.

Section 9. Design of Government Property, Programs and/or Projects -
Government property, programs and/or projects shall not be designed or in any
way be associated or suggesting association to any public official such as his/her
name, logo, picture, any identified alias, initial, character, symbol or letter;
Provided that this prohibition shall apply whether the public official is still in active
service, has retired or is already deceased and whether or not he/she has been
involved in the property, program and/or project.

Section 10. Additional Requirements for initiated and On-Going Infrastructure
Programs and/or Projects — All initiated and on-going government infrastructure
programs and/or projects may put up an sign board which shall not exceed
twelve (12) feet by sixteen (16) feet or its equivalent at a place reasonably near
the site and visible to the public. It shall indicate the following information listed

a) Name of the program and/or project

b) Project Cost

¢) Project start date and end date

d) Name of the implementing agencylies and of the funding agency/ies if
different from the implementing agency/ies.

e) Name of the accountable head of the implementing agency/ies and of the
funding agency/ies if different from the implementing agency/ies.

f)_ Name of the private contractoriwinning bidder

Information required under this Section shall be written in same font size. Sign
boards shall be modestly and appropriately written in compliance with the
attainment of the purpose of this Act and shall be removed upon the completion
of the government infrastructure, program or project. No other 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,
whether or not he/she has been involved in the program and/or project shall be
found in the sign board.

In case the government has a contribution and/or participation other than funds,
said contribution and/or participation shall also be indicated.

Section 11. Automatic Renaming and Removal - When there has been a
flagrant violation of this Act, the government property, program and/or project
shall automatically be renamed to conform to the standards; Provided further,
that non-compliant sign board and markers shall be immediately removed and
replaced in accordance with the requirements of this Act

Section 12. Liability of Public Officials — Public official/s directly and/or indirectly
involved in the titling, sign board and marking of the government property,
program and/or project in violation of this Act shall be held equally liable.

There shall be prima facie evidence of knowledge on the part of the public

official/s whose name appears in the title, sign board and/or marker for any
violation of this Act

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Public official/s shall also bear the responsibility and be held jointly liable with
persons acting in their behalf and/or aide for any violation committed under this
Act.

Section 13. Penalties - Any public official or person, upon due notice and
hearing. who is found to be in violation of the provisions of this Act shall be
imposed with the following penalties:

a) A public official who shall violate the provisions of this Act, or its
implementing rules and regulations shall suffer the penalty of a fine of not
less than ten thousand pesos (P10,000) nor more than fifty thousand
pesos (P50,000.00) plus the cost of expenses to rename and/or comply
with the provisions of this Act, without prejudice to administrative
‘sanctions that may be imposed.

b) Any juridical person which violates the provisions of this Act, or its
implementing rules and regulations shall suffer the penalty of a fine of not
less than ten thousand pesos (P10,000) nor more than fifty thousand
pesos (P50,000.00) and prohibited to participate in any government
bidding for 1 year; Provided, that its officers directly responsible for the
violation shall suffer the penalty of fine of not less than Five Thousand
pesos (P5,000.00) but not more than Twenty Five thousand pesos
(P25,000.00)

©) Any person who shall violate the provisions of this Act, or its implementing
ules and regulations shall be subject to a fine of not less than Five
Thousand pesos (P5,000.00) but not more than Twenty Five thousand
pesos (P25,000.00) and prohibited to participate in any government
bidding for 1 year,

Section 14. implementing Rules and Regulations - Within ninety (90) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH), the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), in coordination with the Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG) and concerned government offices, shall
promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of
this Act

Section 15. Implementing Agency - The Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH), the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) shall enforce the provisions of
this Act and its implementing rules and regulations.

Section 16. Transitory Provision - All agencies of government with existing
government property, programs and/or projects affected by this Act shall be
given a period of one (1) year from its effectivity within which to perform
necessary acts in compliance with the provisions of this Act. After the period of
one (1) year, the concerned building administrator/s and heads of agencies and
public official/s shall be held liable for non-compliance and violation of this Act.

Section 17. Separability Clause - If any part or provision of this Act shall be held
unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of the provisions hereof that are not
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

Section 18. Repealing Clause — All other laws, decrees, executive orders,
proclamations and administrative regulations. or paris thereof inconsistent

herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


Section 19. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation,

Approved