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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1497 
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'13 
SEP -4 119 :12 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 7, Article III of the Constitution guarantees 'The right of the people to 
information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. 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, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be 
provided by law". 
This bill seeks to require full disclosure of the identity, nature of work, and 
compensation of foreign consultants hired or retained by the Government, its 
agencies, 
instrumentalities, 
including 
Government-owned 
or-controlled 
corporations. 
There are three main objectives of this bill. First, that the public be informed of 
how much money is being used to pay consultants hired by the Government. 
Transparency in this regard is needed so that the public will know whether or not 
the consultancy fees paid these conSUltants are commensurate with the benefits 
that the Government is supposed to get from such consultancy contracts. 
SecQnd, that our people be appraised whether or not the services of these 
consultants are indispensable and cannot. be rendered by our, local experts. 
Third, that the people's basic right to know who are providing expert advice and 
support to the Government be fully accorded them. 
In fine, this bill is in accordance with the constitutional mandate to make available 
to the people all information on matters of public concern. 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
OY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


" 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 14 9 7 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
'13 
SEP -4 
II 9 :1 2 
REQUIRING ALL BRANCHES, SUBDIVISIONS, INSTRUMENTALITIES, AND 
AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT-OWNED 
OR CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS OR 
THEIR SUBSIDIARIES TO 
DIVULGE THE IDENTITY OF HIRED FOREIGN CONSULTANTS, THE 
NATURE OF THEIR WORK AND THEIR COMPENSATION, PERKS, AND 
OTHER PRIVILEGES, 
AND 
PROVIDING 
PENALTIES 
IN 
CASE 
OF 
VIOLATION THEREOF 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
.," 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared a policy of the State to 
adopt and implement full public 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 consultants 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 
or -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. 
the identity of any foreign consultant hired or retained by their respective 
offices; 
b. 
the foreign consultant's nature of work including the compensation, 
honoraria, fees, financial or. other benefits or remuneration received by 
the said foreign consultant; and, 
c. 
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. 


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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 or -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 
newspapers of general circulation. 
SEC 5. Penal Clause. - The head of any branch, subdivision, instrumentality, 
and agency of the government, including a government-owned or -controlled 
corporation or its subsidiary that violates Section 3 and 5 of this Act shall be 
punished by a fine 'of not less than Fifteen Thousand Pesos (P15,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 or she shall have taken in the case. 
SEC 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, rules and regulations 
contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
it 
.• 
SEC 7. 
Separability Clause. -
If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain 
in full 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,