Section 10Sec./Art. 10

Qualifications. No person shall be appointed as Secretary, Undersecretary, or Assistant Secretary of the Department unless he or she is citizen and resident of the Philippines, of good moral character, of proven integrity and competence in public administration, and has recognized expertise in governance involving, and/pr experience as, OFWs.

No person involved in the business of recruitment and deployment of OFWs shall be appointed Secretary, Undersecretary, or Assistant Secretary of the Department. This prohibition shall likewise apply to relatives of such persons up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity.

It shall be unlawful for any official or employee of the Department or other government agencies involved in the implementation of this Act, or their relatives within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, to engage, directly or indirectly, in the business of recruitment and placement of OFWs. Upon conviction, the penalties under Republic Act No. 8042, as amended, shall be imposed upon them.