Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City 98 JUL 2013

Sixteenth Congress Pa

First Regular Session ¢ ha

1164

House Bill No.

Introduced by HON. JOSE MA,

'. ZUBIRI UT

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It has been the practice of many public officials (former and present alike) to place posters,
billboards, and/or streamers with their name, nickname, initials and/or pictures beside
infrastructure projects and/or equipment (such as vehicles) that have been purchased or built with
taxpayer’s money. Some attempts are open and blatant, while others have resorted to ingenious
means, such as affixing their initials on public works infrastructure. This begs the question: Is it
right for public officials, mere administrators of the public trust, to claim (and advertise) a
project that they implemented with taxpayer's money as their “own”?

Public officials are elected or appointed to work in behalf of the people and for the people, They
chose to enter public service freely and willingly and the funds that they handle are not their
own. In our constitutional democracy and free market economy, public officials are to use public
money for the public good. Certain reasonable standards of public administrative practices and a
sense of duty and honor are expected of them. It would be unethical, egotistical, self-serving and
without a sense of shame to do the jobs that public officials are expected to be doing in the first
place and then affix posters, billboards and/or streamers with one’s name, initials or pictures on
it and claim the project as their “own”. This bill is meant to put a stop to this notorious practice.

‘Thus, the approval of this bill is eamestly sought.

a

(te MA. FNCUBIRI IIT

Representative
3° District, Bukidnon



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

1164

House Bill No.

Introduced by HON. JOSE MA. F. ZUBIRI III

AN ACT
PROHIBITING ALL PUBLIC OFFICIALS FROM HIGHLIGHTING,
UNDERSCORING, AFFIXING, APPENDING, AND ASSOCIATING THEIR NAMES,
INITIALS AND PICTURES ON ANY AND ALL PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLICLY
FUNDED PROJECTS THROUGH SIGNS AND OTHER INFORMATION OR
ADVERTISEMENT MEDIUM.

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

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act may be referred to as the “Anti-Political Signage Act of
2013”.

Section 2. Declaration of State Policies. ~ The State recognizes that public funds are used for
the implementation of all public works and public projects; that it is because of the people that
such projects are implemented, Performance and proper delivery of services, not information
campaigns and advertisement, is the thrust of modern governance. The State further recognizes
that public officials are only the medium through which the needed projects are implemented as
a result of proper consultations.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

a. Name — refers to the whole name, the first name, the middle name, the surname, all
suffixes and prefixes, nicknames, initials, single letters that are part or found in a part of
the complete name of an incumbent or former public official’s name.

b. Picture — refers to a design or representation made by various means describing a person
so vivid or graphic as to suggest a mental image or give an accurate idea of someone or
something which includes, but is not limited to, digital portraits, paintings, caricatures,
drawings, sketches and other printed materials such as tarpaulins and other mediums of
representation which includes, but is not limited to, conventional or digital portraits,
pictures, painting,

c. Public Official — refers to all elected and appointed public officials regardless of rank and
stature. This includes all publie officials who have been separated or have resigned from
office or have been considered ipso facto resigned from public service on account of their
filing the necessary papers for candidacy to an upcoming national or local election.
Provided, That for individuals or public officials who have resigned or have been
separated from service not running for any elected posts, the prohibited act mentioned
here shall continue to apply within one (1) year from the time of separation from service.

4. Project/s — refers to any and all forms of publicly funded projects including programs
implemented by the national or local government for the benefit of the public.


Section 4. Prohibited Acts. — It shall be unlawful for any and all public officials, past or present,
to highlight, underscore, append, associate, affix, add as a design, erect and give away any and
all kind of information materials including, but not limited to, billboards and streamers, their
whole name, first name, middle name, surname, initials, all suffixes and prefixes, nicknames,
single letters that are part or found in the whole name of an incumbent public official. It shall
also be prohibited for any and all public officials to use and put insignias or emblems bearing or
representing even a letter of the alphabet that is found in their name in publicly funded projects
and programs, The attachment or association of a public official’s picture, or a facsimile of it, to
a public project or program is also prohibited. Only the seal of the local government unit, of the
national government, and of the agency/agencies concemed implementing the projects and
programs are allowed.

Section 5, Penalties. ~ The individuals who have been found guilty of violating the provisions of
this Act shall be suspended from holding public office for a period of six (6) months and the
medium where the prohibited act has been put shall be destroyed and removed with costs and
interests against the individual or public official concerned. Provided, That if the medium where
the individual put his name, as defined in Section 4 hereof, should form part of a public structure,
the same shall not only be destroyed, but restored without his name or any part thereof, at cost
with interests against the individual or public official concerned. If the prohibited act is done or
has continued up and within the campaign period, the same shall constitute a prohibited act under
the election laws. Accordingly, the penalties under the elections laws for and against the
individual or public official concerned shall apply in addition to the destruction and restoration if
needed, of such at cost against him.

Section 6. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or
invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 7. Repealing Clause, ~ All laws, executive orders, rules and regulations inconsistent
with or contrary to this Act are hereby deemed accordingly repealed or amended.

Section 8. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,