Freedom of Information: Why is this is a big deal to Filipinos?

Just nearly a month into office, President Rodrigo Duterte signed an Executive Order (EO), implementing the Freedom of Information (FOI) in the Executive branch. For Filipinos, this inking is such a feat especially that the FOI bill underwent rigorous revisions and procedures before it was drafted.

 

(Photo grabbed from the Presidential Communications Operations Office’s Twitter Account)

 

As a background, it was in the Article IV, Section 6 Bill of Rights of the 1973 Constitution where the right of people to information on matters of public concern was recognized. The bill was first filed in 1992 by then first district of Pangasinan representative Oscar Orbos. According to a Rappler report, this right to Freedom of Information was expanded after the 1986 EDSA Revolution, which ousted the Marcos dictatorship.

This FOI bill has always been the subject of news, especially that this concerns all Filipinos. Simply put, the passage of the Freedom of Information has opened a lot of opportunities for the public and the government when it comes to matters of public access. To let you know why this is a big deal to Filipinos, we list some important points that can help you be enlightened.

1. Freedom of Information is a constitutionally-mandated RIGHT.

Access to information has always been and will always be a right. It is every Filipino’s right to know information especially to matters of the public. This right is for the people, especially because they have the right to know if the persons they elected in a position are worth their vote.

2. Freedom of Information = Transparency.

Freedom of Information is “access to official records, and to documents and papers, pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, shall be afforded the citizen subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.” With this, the dissemination of information is vital to the progress of the country especially that this information can help contribute to knowledge.

3. Freedom of Information can help reduce corruption.

This is one of the primary reasons why the FOI is such a big deal. Now that it has been signed, media outfits can now get hold of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), which declares the financial interests of a public official or employee. This is a big step to progress especially to investigative journalists who can monitor if there are any anomalies involved.

4. Freedom of Information is a change in the system.

Although it still has limitations, the FOI is a change in the system. If in the past, the media could not get hold of the important documents they need to get, now according to the EO in Section 6 Application and Interpretation: “no request for information shall be denied unless it clearly falls under any of the exceptions listed in the inventory of exceptions…” The procedures in getting information are now clear and concise, no fees required (with exceptions), notice of denial, remedies in cases of denial, and release within 15 days are just some of very important things which constitute the FOI battle that has long been fought for.

With this good news regarding the FOI after more than 20 years since it was first filed, it is now clear that change is really coming to the Philippines.

To view the full text, see: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/798612/full-text-executive-order-on-freedom-of-information

 

Source: Rappler, Inquirer, freedominfo.org, Rappler, Gov.ph, Manila Times