Padilla pushes bill to bar lawmakers from local infra projects

Senator Robin Padilla has filed a measure dubbed the “Mahiya Naman Kayo Act,” which aims to prohibit senators and members of the House of Representatives from intervening in the budgeting and implementation of local infrastructure projects.

Padilla pushed the Senate Bill 1299 amid ongoing investigations into irregularities in flood control projects allegedly linked to lawmakers.

Under the proposed legislation, members of Congress would be banned from initiating, endorsing, or influencing the inclusion of local infrastructure projects in the national budget. 

The bill also prevents lawmakers from directing government agencies or local government units to implement specific infrastructure projects funded by national government resources in their respective districts.

Furthermore, the bill bars legislators from intervening in procurement processes, awarding contracts, appointing key personnel in project implementation, or disbursing public funds related to local infrastructure initiatives. 

Lawmakers would also be prohibited from acting as contractors, suppliers, project implementers, or intermediaries in these projects.

Violators of the law would face censure or suspension by their respective chambers following ethics committee recommendations, administrative sanctions under existing laws, and possible criminal prosecution.

In filing the bill, Padilla highlighted that “members of Congress have reportedly exerted influence over the identification and prioritization of infrastructure projects at the local level, often through informal channels or post-enactment budget insertions,” which he said undermines the constitutional separation of powers and fosters corruption and inefficiency in public spending.

He further noted that such a bill aligns with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.'s executive order establishing the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), tasked with investigating and addressing irregularities in government infrastructure projects.