Don’t accept gifts, Tugade tells DOTr workers

Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/John Paul R. Autor

Barely a month before Christmas, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Monday called on officials and employees of his department to not to accept gifts of any kind from individuals and organizations “to avoid conflict of interest and to uphold high standard of ethics in public service.”

“Bawal mag-solicit o tumanggap ng regalo. Kusa niyong layuan ang lahat ng klaseng regalo kahit pa ito ay kusang ibinigay sa inyo (ngayong Pasko),” Tugade said during the Department of Transportation’s flag raising ceremony on Monday.

Tugade warned that he will be “unforgiving” to all DOTr workers who would solicit or receive gifts.

“I have a way of knowing it. Bawal tumanggap ng regalo sa opisina, sa parking lot, o sa bahay ninyo (mula sa mga government contractors),” he added.

Tuagade’s directive was in line with Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Presidential Decree No. 46, s. 1972 (Making it Punishable for Public Officials to Receive, and for Private Persons to Give, Gifts on Any Occasion, Including Christmas), and Republic Act No. 6713.