SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First .ReguJar Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. NO. _4~9..L7_ 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
..ietwtr 
{Ji}ff!fr of HIe ~f'n·t'tMr~ 
'13 
JUL -4 
AJJ :20 
RECEi 
Although considerable refOlIDS have been put forward by this administration to combat graft and 
corruption in the country, the Philippines is still perceived as one of the most corrupt countries in 
the world, getting a score of 34 on a scale of I to 100 with 100 being very clean, according to the 
latest (2012) Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency InternationaL,,1 According to an 
earlier survey, bribery is one of the most rampant fonns of corruption in the country. From the 
2007 Global Corruption Barometer Report of Transparency International (TI), the Philippines is 
included in the top rung of countries most affected by bribery in the world. It is one of the top 10 
countries with the highest level of petty bribery. Moreover, petty bribery bas penetrated every 
level of govennnent and affected the delivery of services to the people. 
This bill seeks to prevent petty bribery and other corrupt practices in the delivery of government 
services by limiting transactions to the appropriate "transaction windows" and prohibiting the 
clients from going inside government offices except during interviews, examinations, official 
business, and other similar cases. To serve more efficiently, this bill furthennore encourages 
government agencies to create electronic delivery of services that is accessible to the general 
public without charge. This will lessen if not eliminate the hassle of going through the usually 
long-winded and tiring process of transacting business with the government and will decrease the 
likelihood of committing bribery and other corrupt practices. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
1 
InformatIOn 
accessed 
fmm 
sllrvey#ixzz2J IYol 'ljXK 
ANTONIO "SONNY" F. TRILLANES IV 
Senator 
http' Ilglohalna tlOO.lOa "irer .net/5882 3 In h lhpnmes~remains~one.of-most -corrl! pr -countnes-
on 
5/28/2013. 
I 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
497 
S.NO. ___ _ 
IntJ'oduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
'sermtl' 
(~HI~r ,If Hl'~ j,tv¥~b:rlJ 
'13 
JUL -4 All :20 
MANDATING THE USE OF TRANSACTION WINDOWS AND THE CREATION OF E-
SERVICES IN ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, MINIMIZING OPPORTUNITIES 
FOR THE COMMISSION OF BRIBERY AND OTHER CORRUPT PRACTICES, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "Transaction Windows and E-
2 
Services Act." 
3 
4 
SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
5 
(a) Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) - An agency 
6 
under the Office of the President mandated to promote, develop, and regulate integrated and 
7 
strategic Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems and reliable and cost-
8 
efficient communication facilities and services in the country; 
9 
(b) E-services - The electronic delivery of government information, programs and 
10 
services often (but not exclusively) over the Internet; 
11 
(c) Clietlt - A person who is availing a particular govermnent service in any agency of the 
12 
govermnent; 
13 
(d) Transacting Official - An official or employee of the govermnent who transacts 
14 
directly with a client in the delivery of a particular government service; 
15 
(e) Fixer - A person who offers to facilitate or assists in the facilitation of government 
16 
transactions either for a fee or a tip or in exchange for certain favors such as preference in the 
17 
patronage of service providers (i.e., insurance, medical check-up, drug test, etc.). 
1 


1 
SEC. 3. Transaction Windows. - All government agencies and/or instrumentalities which 
2 
provide direct services to the public, were said services involve any fonn of payment of taxes, 
3 
fees andlor other charges payable to the government, shall provide and utilize transaction 
4 
windows in the conduct of their transactions with the public. 
5 
All transactions shall be conducted through these transaction windows, which windows 
6 
shall physically separate the transacting official and the client. 
7 
It shall be the duty of the Head of the agency to ensure that there are enough transaction 
8 
windows to allow the orderly and efficient processing of clients doing business with tbe said 
9 
agency. 
10 
11 
SEC. 4. Cuing System and Clients' Lounge. - When the volume of transactions of th~ 
12 
agency so warrants, the agency shall provide for a system of cuing which will ensure that clients 
13 
are attended to and served in an orderly and timely manner on a first tIme, first serve basis ". 
14 
If the clients are compelled to wait for a substantial period of time before being served, 
15 
the agency shall provide a clients' lounge were clients can comfortably sit while waiting to be 
16 
served. 
Whenever possible, the clients' lounge shall be equipped with comfort rooms and 
17 
facilities for entertainment to keep clients entertained and comfortable while waiting. 
18 
19 
SEC. 5. Client Restricted Areas. - Clients shall remain in the clients' lounge, on cue or 
20 
at the transaction windows when transacting business with the agency. Clients are absolutely 
21 
prohibited from entering the areas beyond the transaction windows and clients' lounge except 
22 
during interviews, examinations or in other similar cases. 
23 
In relation hereto, the Head of the agency shall make sure that this provision is properly 
24 
implemented. 
25 
26 
SEC. 6. 'Fixer-free' Areas. - It shall be the duty and obligation of the Head of the 
27 
agency concerned to ensure that the agency's transaction windows, the clients' lounge and other 
2 


1 
public areas within the agency's premises shall remain free of unauthorized personnel and in 
2 
particular, of 'fixers', whether or not the latter are employed by the agency. The Head of the 
3 
agency shall keep said areas 
.'fixer~free' and shall bring the appropriate administrative 
4 
disciplinary action against employees moonlighting as fixers. 
5 
6 
SEC. 7. E-services. - Each government agency, in consultation with the Commission on 
7 
Information and Communications Technology (CICT), shall design, develop, and maintain an 
8 
appropriate website accessible through the internet and shall provide and render e-services which 
9 
shall be accessible to the general public without charge. 
10 
The website shall include the following basic information on the government agency 
11 
concerned, thus: 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
(a) 
(b) 
(c) 
Cd) 
(e) 
(f) 
(g) 
The official name, principal office address and key officials of the agency; 
The mandate, mission and vision of the agency and the legal basis thereof; 
A list of the services rendered by the agency and a simplified description of the 
process or procedure of conducting or transacting business with the agency; 
Directory of all key officials as well as offices and branches of the agency, 
including telephone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses and other 
contact details of the said key officials and/or offices; 
Downloadable application forms, check-lists and other forms necessary to 
transact business with the agency; 
Downloadable or viewable versions of relevant laws, rules and regulations and/or 
memorandum circulars and/or orders which concerns or affect the agency and/or 
client's transacting business with it. 
Links to all attached and/or relevant government as well as private entities with 
related content. 
3 


1 
SEC. 8. Penalty Clause. - (a) Any public officer such as but not limited to the 
2 
transacting official, head of agency, or office supervisor found not implementing or violating any 
3 
provision of this Act shall be punished administratively, and/or by imprisonment for not less than 
4 
one (1) month nor more than one (1) year and perpetual disqualification from public office, 
5 
depending on the severity. 
6 
(b) Any client violating any provision of this Act shall be fined PI,OOO.OO but not more 
7 
than PlO,OOO.OO, andlor by imprisonment for not less than one (1) month nor more than three (3) 
8 
months, depending on the severity. 
9 
10 
SEC. 9. Appropriation. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act 
11 
. shall be charged to the current fiscal year appropriation of the concerned agency. Thereafter, 
12 
such sums as may be necessary shall be included in the aunual General Appropriations Act. 
13 
14 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and other 
15 
issuances, and rules and regulations, or part thereof, contrary to or inconsistent with any 
16 
provision of this Act, are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
17 
18 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. -
Should any proVISIOn of this Act be found 
19 
unconstitutional by a court oflaw, such provision shall be severed from the other provisions, and 
20 
the same shall not affect the enforceability and effectivity of the remaining provisions of this 
21 
Act. 
22 
23 
SEC. 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
24 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) national newspapers of general 
25 
circulation. 
Approved, 
4