You’re so vain you probably think this song is about you.

That’s Carly Simon singing in the early 1970s in reference to who is widely believed to be Warren Beatty.

We can’t help but sing this refrain from that hit song as we read about back-to-back legislative proposals to curb self-promoting antics of politicians just to keep them constantly in the public eye.   

Like Sen. Miriam Santiago, House Deputy Majority Leader Roman Romulo is also batting for new legislation that would ban self-flattering politicians from stamping their names and faces on government properties and projects –- from ambulances and police cars, to roads and bridges.

It may be recalled that Santiago has been pushing for the swift passage of her Senate Bill 1967, formally titled the proposed Act Prohibiting Public Officials from Claiming Credit through Signage Announcing a Public Works Project.

As proposed by Romulo in House Bill 3943, it would be “unlawful to place on any government property or project, any name, logo, picture, any identified alias, initial, character, symbol, or letter pertaining to a public official who is still in active service, has retired, or is already deceased”.

The prohibition would not apply to signboards on government properties found “culturally and historically significant.” These may be marked with the names of departed officials who are renowned, based on guidelines from the National Historical Commission.

And we agree with the proposal absolutely for one basic reason: It is not the politician’s money which pays for a government project or structure although he or she may be the one who proposed and pushed funding for it.

Rather is the citizens whose collective tax contribution to the national coffers who pick up the tab.

Therefore, it is they who should deserve the credit for each and every public works project or service.

The sign should read thus: “A project of the people of the Philippines”.    

Romulo filed the proposed Public Works Title, Signboard and Marker Standardization Act in January, long before Santiago’s bill became highly publicized. The House committee on public works however has yet to act on the bill.

“We still have high hopes our bill will eventually be endorsed by the committee for floor debate and approval,” said Romulo, who represents the lone district of Pasig City in Congress.

The bill sets definite standards for government signposts, such as the inclusion of the statement “This is where your taxes go” as the most prominent part.

It also provides that no signboard should exceed two feet by four feet or its equivalent in size, except for ongoing projects, which may have markers of up to 12 feet by 16 feet.

In the interest of public accountability, the bill requires that signposts for these works in progress should indicate the project name, cost, and duration; the implementing/funding offices and their answerable heads; plus the private contractor/winning bidder.

One Romulo’s bill is enacted, all existing non-compliant signboards would have to be removed and revised to measure up to the new standards.

Public officials or persons who fail to comply with the new standards face fines of up to P50,000, without prejudice to administrative sanctions. They will also have to pay for the cost of putting up a new compliant marker.

If the violators are private entities or persons, such as contractors, they also face similar fines plus one-year disqualification from bidding for any government projects.