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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _____ 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by  
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,  
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,  
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES TO EXECUTE A 
WRITTEN PERMISSION TO EXAMINE, INQUIRE OR LOOK INTO THEIR 
BANK DEPOSITS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
6713 (RA 6713) OR THE ACT ESTABLISHING A CODE OF CONDUCT AND 
ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Constitution explicitly provides 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.  (Article XI, Section 1)  It likewise provides that 
“The State shall maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive 
and effective measures against graft and corruption.”  (Article II, Section 27) 
Section 2 of Republic Act 6713 or The Act Establishing a Code of Conduct and 
Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, on the other hand, states that “It 
is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service.  Public 
officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall 
discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act 
with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal 
interest.” 
To fulfill such policies, additional measures to ensure that public officials and 
employees adhere to the highest ethical standards are needed.  Despite deterrents 
July 5, 2022
1:17 pm
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already in place like the annual filing of the Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SALN), 
some public officials and employees still find ways to hide undeclared income.  This in 
turn hampers transparent governance and anti-corruption mechanisms.  One of the most 
common go-to legal loophole is the old law on the secrecy of bank deposits, Republic 
Act 1405 (1955), as a cloak against the authority of the Ombudsman and its Deputies 
as the “protectors of the people” in matters of public office and public trust. 
 
This Bill was first filed in the 17th Congress by Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Carlos 
Isagani Zarate.  It was refiled in the 18th Congress by Bayan Muna Partylist Reps. Carlos 
Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite, and Eufemia Cullamat. 
 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
 
________________________________ 
Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO 
ACT Teachers Party-List 
 
 
 
 
________________________________ 
Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS 
GABRIELA Women’s Party 
 
 
________________________________ 
Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL 
KABATAAN Party-List 
 
 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. _____ 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Introduced by  
ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. FRANCE L. CASTRO,  
GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. ARLENE D. BROSAS,  
and KABATAAN Party-List Rep. RAOUL DANNIEL A. MANUEL 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES TO EXECUTE A 
WRITTEN PERMISSION TO EXAMINE, INQUIRE OR LOOK INTO THEIR 
BANK DEPOSITS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
6713 (RA 6713) OR THE ACT ESTABLISHING A CODE OF CONDUCT AND 
ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 8 (A) of RA 6713 or the Act Establishing a Code of Conduct and 
Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
Section 8. Statements and Disclosure. - Public officials and employees 
have an obligation to accomplish and submit declarations under oath of, 
and the public has the right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and 
financial and business interests including those of their spouses and of 
unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their 
households. 
(A) Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Financial Disclosure.
- x x x
All public officials and employees required under this section to 
file the aforestated documents shall also execute, within thirty (30) 
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days from the date of their assumption of office, the necessary 
authority in favor of the Ombudsman to obtain from all 
appropriate government agencies, including the Bureau of Internal 
Revenue, such documents as may show their assets, liabilities, net 
worth, and also their business interests and financial connections 
in previous years, including, if possible, the year when they first 
assumed any office in the Government. THEY SHALL 
LIKEWISE EXECUTE A WRITTEN PERMISSION FOR 
THE OMBUDSMAN TO EXAMINE, INQUIRE OR LOOK 
INTO 
ALL 
THEIR 
BANK 
DEPOSITS, 
AS 
AN 
ADDITIONAL EXCEPTION TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1405 
OR THE BANK SECRECY LAW,  AS AMENDED. 
x x x 
 
SEC. 2. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect immediately after its complete 
publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation in the 
Philippines. 
 
 
Approved,