Senator Win Gatchalian will file a bill banning companies previously owned by politicians from securing government infrastructure contracts, including flood-control projects.
He said divestment is often used as a loophole for politicians to still profit from state-funded projects. Reports have also linked some politicians to ghost or “ampaw” projects, raising conflict-of-interest and corruption concerns.
“We’re talking about 9,000 projects and these are just flood-control projects. We’re not even counting roads, highways, and other infrastructure works,” said Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate finance committee.
If passed, the measure aims to cut off politicians’ influence in government contracting and curb corruption in big-ticket projects.IMT
