House panel chair admits 'very limited chance' FOI bill will pass

By ANDREO CALONZO, GMA News

Published July 24, 2012 2:47pm

After President Benigno Aquino III failed to mention the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill when he delivered his state of the nation address on Monday, the chairperson of the House committee deliberating on the measure admitted Tuesday that there is “very limited” chance that the measure will pass.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, who heads the House committee on public information, said House deliberations on the 2013 budget may hinder the FOI bill’s passage.

“If we fail to act on it before the budget is submitted to the plenary, mukhang malabo. The window of opportunity is very limited up to this August or September,” he said in a press briefing.

However, Evardone added that his committee will still try to approve a version of the FOI bill as soon as possible.

“Even if the President did not mention the FOI bill, this does not mean that we will stop deliberating on the bill. This will go through the normal legislative mill,” he said.

On Monday, President Aquino failed to include the FOI bill in his third State of the Nation Address despite his administration’s call for greater transparency in government.

The FOI bill, which seeks to lift the shroud of secrecy over government transactions and data, has been pending before House committee on public information since February last year.

Aquino’s Cabinet had earlier submitted a version of the FOI bill to Congress.

Right of reply

Evardone further said his committee is still trying to find a way to consolidate 15 versions of the FOI bill, including one filed by Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo Antonino which has a “right of reply” provision.

Antonino wants to require media organizations to publish or air a public official’s explanation for any information obtained about him or her through the FOI bill.

Evardone said a possible compromise will be to include a provision on the measure that will ask media entities to “exert best efforts” to get the side of the other party.

“Bahagi na kasi ng ethics iyan e. Ginagawa na at normal na iyon,” he said.

Asked if he is amenable to Evardone’s suggestion, Antonio replied, “I will have to study the language of the proposal.”

On Monday, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. asked his colleagues to subject the FOI bill to a vote. — BM/VS, GMA News

Tags: foibill, freedomofinformationbill