FOI Bill: Call for Transparency and Accountability
“The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents, and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to limitations as may be provided by law” is clearly enshrined in the Article 2, Section 7 and Section 28 in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Decades have passed since the first Freedom of Information Bill was filed in the Congress but unfortunately due to lack of support from the legislators and derailing from opponents, it didn't reach the finish line.
But the fight for a more transparent and accountable government doesn’t end there. In pursuit of the passage of this bill, a national network of more than a hundred of Filipino youth and student organizations was established and formally launched on August 2012 called “FOI Youth Initiative”. Currently, the FOI Youth Initiative has 150 partner organizations, including the Centrist Democratic Youth Association of the Philippines, which are taking part in strengthening the call of transforming our government to an open and honest public institution that Filipino citizens can trust.
The FOI Youth Initiative has conducted signature campaigns to be presented to President Aquino and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Belmonte before the upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA). The signature campaign calls for action on the Freedom of Information Bill. It will also be conducting the 1st FOI Youth Congress with the theme “Asserting the Role of Young Filipinos in Shaping the Nation through the People’s Freedom of Information” that will take place in the University of the Philippines-Diliman this July 4-6, 2014. The Congress will convene various groups from different sectors with one common goal: to promote Freedom of Information as a youth issue and enable them to participate in seeking transparency and accountability from different public institutions.
BY: Jahara Gubat
VP For Mindanao
But the fight for a more transparent and accountable government doesn’t end there. In pursuit of the passage of this bill, a national network of more than a hundred of Filipino youth and student organizations was established and formally launched on August 2012 called “FOI Youth Initiative”. Currently, the FOI Youth Initiative has 150 partner organizations, including the Centrist Democratic Youth Association of the Philippines, which are taking part in strengthening the call of transforming our government to an open and honest public institution that Filipino citizens can trust.
The FOI Youth Initiative has conducted signature campaigns to be presented to President Aquino and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Belmonte before the upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA). The signature campaign calls for action on the Freedom of Information Bill. It will also be conducting the 1st FOI Youth Congress with the theme “Asserting the Role of Young Filipinos in Shaping the Nation through the People’s Freedom of Information” that will take place in the University of the Philippines-Diliman this July 4-6, 2014. The Congress will convene various groups from different sectors with one common goal: to promote Freedom of Information as a youth issue and enable them to participate in seeking transparency and accountability from different public institutions.
BY: Jahara Gubat
VP For Mindanao