FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF TEE 
) 
WPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. NO. 
18 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 7, Article 111 of the 1987 Constitution mandates the right of the people to 
information on matters of public concern. People should be afforded access to official 
records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or 
decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development. 
It is a common practice by our government, its subdivisions, agencies and 
instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations or their 
subsidiaries, to hire foreign consultants in government programs and projects which 
require the expertise not available locally. 
This bill seeks to recognize and strengthen the people’s constitutional right to be 
informed by mandating a full disclosure of the identity, nature of work and compensation 
of foreign consultants hired by the government, its subdivisions, agencies, 
instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations or their 
subsidiaries. 
It is the foremost intention of this bill to ensure transparency in all government 
transactions and decisions. In the said event, the people has the right to be informed 
regarding the identity of these foreign consultants and nature of the services they are 
rendering to make sure that indeed their services are indispensable and that our local 
experts are not equally capable. Since public funds are being utilized to pay for the 
consultancy fees, the people has the right to be informed how much is being spent for 
these foreign consultants. 
It is with this view that immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. NO. 
18 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla. Jr. 
AN ACT REQURWG ALL BRANCHES, SUBDIVISIONS, 
INSTRUMENTALITIES AND AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT, 
OR THEIR SUBSIDIARIES TO DIVULGE THE IDENTITY OF HIRED 
FOREIGN CONSULTANTS, THE NATURE OF THEIR WORK AND THEIR 
COMPENSATION, PERKS AND OTHER PRZVILEGES, AND PROVIDING 
PENALTIES IN CASE OF VIOLATION THEREOF 
INCLUDING GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby the policy of the State to adopt 
and implement full disclosure of all its transactions, pursuant to the principle of 
transparency in public office and the constitutional mandate to make available to the 
people all information on matters of public concern. 
SEC. 2. Definition. - Foreign consultant refers to a national of another State who 
renders certain services to the Government. 
SEC. 3. Disclosure Requirement. - All heads of branches, subdivisions, 
instrumentalities and agencies of the Government, including government-owned and 
controlled corporations or their subsidiaries shall, within six (6) months from the 
effectivity of this Act, provide Congress in writing and under oath the following: 
A. 
B. 
The identity of any foreign consultant hired or retained by their 
respective offices; 
The foreign consultant’s nature of work including the compensation, 
honoraria, fees, financial or other benefits or remuneration received by 
the said foreign consultant; 
The terms and conditions of the consultancy agreement entered into by 
the Government office, specifying therein the particular services that 
the consultant is expected to perform. 
C. 
SEC. 4. publication. - The Office of the Executive Secretary shall maintain a 
centralized data-file of all foreign consultants hired by the government, its agencies, 
bureaus, instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations. In 
January of every year, the Office of the Executive Secretary shall cause the publication of 
the list of foreign consultants hired or retained by the Government, whether for the full 
year or for only a part thereof, in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
SEC. 5. Penal Clause. - The head of any branch, subdivision, instrumentality 
and agency of the government, including government-owned and controlled corporation 
or its subsidiary that violates Sections 3 and 5 of this Act shall be punished by a fine of 


not less than FiReen Thousand Pesos (Pl5,OOO.OO) but not more than Sixty Thousand 
Pesos (P60,OOO.OO) and imprisonment of not less than six (6) years or both at the 
discretion of the court. Those convicted shall be perpetually disqualified from holding 
public office. Upon conviction by the proper regional trial court, the official convicted 
shall likewise be suspended immediately from office and shall remain suspended pending 
the final outcome of any appeal he o she shall have taken in the case. 
SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, d e s  and regulations 
contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in hll 
force and effect. 
SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect immediately following its 
publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation or in the Official 
Gazette, whichever takes place earlier. 
Approved,