FOI in executive branch implemented next week, Duterte says

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday promised to implement the executive order on Freedom of Information next week.

Duterte made the remark in his first ever media briefing since assuming the presidency on June 30.

"Due to the constant and insistent demand... I have decided to hurry up the process," Duterte said in an interview with state-run PTV-4 in Malacañang.

"So, this will be implemented at the very least next week. This was just submitted to me at the Cabinet meeting and I have to review it personally," he added.

Duterte shared the title of the draft EO: "[Operationalizing] in the executive branch the people's constitutional right to information and the state of policies of full public disclosure and transparency in public service and providing guidelines therefore."

He said it was up to Congress to institutionalize the measure as a republic act.

"Now first I would like to remind everybody i can only bind the executive department, my branch of government. I cannot mind the other two, the judiciary and Congress because of the separation of power," Duterte said.

"But it is up to Congress if they want they can file and maybe come up with a copy of the Freedom of Information Law," he added. —NB, GMA News