Duterte signs EO on FOI before SONA

EO ON FOI. Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar holds a copy of the executive order on the freedom of information on Sunday, July 24, at the Royal Mandaya Hotel. The EO was signed on Saturday by President Rodrigo Duterte. (May Anne Love. B. Deseo/davaotoday.com)

DAVAO CITY— Two days before his first State of the Nation Address, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed the executive order on the Freedom of Information (FOI) here on Saturday night, July 23.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) secretary Martin Andanar announced the executive order description as “Operationalizing in the executive branch the people’s constitutional right to information and the state policies of full public disclosure and transparency in the public service and providing guidelines therefore” at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on Sunday morning, July 24.

He said the President signed the EO 7:00 pm on Saturday.

He said agencies having any information that may put the government in danger in terms of national security are to be exempted.

Andanar said that the FOI executive order which allows full public disclosure of all state transactions involving public interest, subject to reasonable conditions prescribed by law, seeks to attain a more transparent government, adding that there was “no plan” on having it signed on Saturday.

“It just so happened that the executive order was finalized Saturday night when the chief presidential legal counsel Secretary Panelo, Secretary Medialdea [and] Undersecretary Boy Quitain had finally agreed to this final draft,” Andanar said.

He added that for the last 29 years since late Congressman Raul Roco filed the FOI, Filipinos have fought “tooth and nail” to strengthen the right to information as inscribed in the 1987 constitution.

He said that in only after 25 days of Duterte’s presidency, he considers the signing of the executive order as a “record-breaking” milestone.

Andanar added that there will be a FOI manual which every agency will own and can also be downloaded online. “Yung manual na ‘yon, ‘yon ay maging batayan ng ating mga kababayan at ng mga ahensiya ng ating gobyerno para sa pagpapatupad nitong freedom of information executive order (The manual will be a basis of the people and government agencies in carrying out the freedom of information executive order),” he said.

Since the executive order has just been signed, Andanar said the copy with the stamp and seal will be released officially on Monday.

Various groups welcome the EO on FOI. The FOI Youth Initiative said they hope the new Administration “will continue to pursue the enactment of a complete Freedom of Information Law through legislation.”

It said there should be provisions “requiring access to particular documents and data in all levels of government, penalties for public officials and employees who deny such access, and other components that will truly guarantee transparency, accountability, and people’s participation.”

Meanwhile, partylist Bayan Muna said the passage of the EO should serve as a challenge to the Congress to pass “a genuine Freedom of Information bill.”

“The executive’s initiative is certainly a challenge now to Congress to pass an all embracing FOI law like House Bill 334 that we filed last June 30. We urge in particular the House leadership to fast track the passage of a genuine FOI bill, one that will truly reflect the principles of full transparency in government and full accountability of government officials and employees,” said Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate in a statement.

“A genuine FOI law is a necessary tool in the fight against graft and corruption, as well as other abuse and excesses in the government. Thus, there should be no repeat to a watered-down and diluted FOI version that the disgraced Aquino administration pushed in the previous Congress but, fortunately enough, failed to pass into law,” he said. (davaotoday.com)