Pass FOI bill, Marcos admin urges lawmakers

The Marcos administration on Monday called on lawmakers to pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill amid the public's clamor for transparency and accountability in relation to the investigation of anomalous flood control projects. 

“This week, we heard the voices of Filipinos loudly calling, clamoring for an FOI Law,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Dave Gomez said in his speech during the opening of the Global Conference of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) 2025 in Pasay City.

“I take this opportunity to urge our lawmakers, civil society leaders, and fellow public servants to come together in finally enacting the Right to Information Bill for the Philippines, one that upholds global standards and empowers our democracy,” Gomez added.

The Philippines is the first country in Southeast Asia to host the Global Conference of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI), according to the PCO. 

This year’s theme, “Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age,” is very timely, Gomez said. 

“In a nation like ours, where natural disasters are an ever-present threat, access to environmental data is not just a matter of governance—it is a matter of survival,” Gomez said.

“Through technology, we must ensure that communities, especially the most vulnerable, have the information they need to stay safe, plan, and thrive,” he added.

The PCO chief said the Philippines is proud to host the global access to information community once again, after hosting the 14th Edition of the International Conference of Information Commissioners in 2023.

These platforms are vital in strengthening international cooperation and regional solidarity for open and participatory governance, Gomez said. 

Earlier, the House committee on public information vowed to prioritize the passage of the Freedom of Information and anti-fake news bills. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA Integrated News