House panel aims to have FOI bill OKd by year end

The House public information committee on Tuesday kicked off its hearing on the proposals for a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act during the 17th Congress, as the panel aims to have the measure passed at the chamber before the year ends.

The panel, chaired by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, heard initial comments of several government agencies and FOI advocates on 30 bills, a resolution, and a privilege speech on the proposed FOI law.

The committee then created a technical working group (TWG) to consolidate them. Approval of the bill by the House is targeted to be by end of 2016, said Tinio.

“With his issuance of Executive Order 2 on FOI, President Duterte has already sent a strong go signal for Congress to enact an FOI law,” the lawmaker said.

“And considering that FOI has been languishing in Congress for nearly three decades now, we aim to come up with a harmonized FOI bill and have it approved by the House as soon as possible, by the end of this year," he added.

The party-list congressman assured the public that his panel would seek substantial consultations not only with government agencies but also with concerned sectors, "all towards crafting a genuine FOI that will guarantee the widest access to information on matters of public concern."

The TWG is slated to convene by end of next week, before Congress goes on session break, Tinio said.

Three months earlier, in July, Duterte signed the EO on FOI, after discussions with Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary Salvador Panelo, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, and Undersecretary Jesus Quitain.

The EO was signed two days before Duterte delivers his first State of the Nation Address.

The EO states that all government offices under the executive branch are encouraged to observe and be guided by the order to enable every Filipino access to information, official records, and other public documents.

"This order shall cover all government offices under the Executive Branch, including bot not limited to the national government and all its offices, departments, bureaus, offices, and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations, and state universities and colleges. Local government units are encouraged to observe and be guided by this Order," read the EO.

"Every Filipino shall have access to information, official records, public records and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for public-development," the order added.

Under the EO, any person who requests for information will write to the duly authorized personnel assigned by the head of the government agency and should possess the requested information not longer than 15 days.

Public officials are also reminded under the EO to make available their statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth for public scrutiny.

Question on the legality of the information requested will be forwarded to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to ensure it does not violate any laws.

The EO states that requests for access to information are free of charge unless the agency requires to “reimburse necessary costs, including actual costs of reproduction and copying of the information requested, subject to existing rules and regulations.” — RSJ, GMA News