Noy changes mind, vows to back FOI bill

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday vowed to have the proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) bill passed before he steps down in June 2016.

Aquino though remained consistent in saying he is not going to certify the measure as urgent.

“I regret I cannot certify it as urgent because the Constitution requires an emergency, but the assurance I think should be given, at this point in time, that it will be passed before the end of my term,” he said. 

Aquino gave the assurance to Makati Business Club chairman Ramon del Rosario Jr., who served as finance secretary during the presidency of his late mother Corazon Aquino,  during yesterday’s “Daylight Dialogue: The Good Governance Challenge” held in Malacañang.

Aquino said the executive department has already sent its FOI version to Congress for consideration. 

“We have suggested to Congress certain amendments of the proposed measures that we will make it really a doable activity for government,” he said.

Enacting the FOI bill into law was one of the campaign promises made by Aquino. He later said there was no more need for such a law since he has always been transparent.

In January, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the re-filed FOI bill that remains pending in the Senate will have to fend for itself since Aquino will not certify the transparency and good governance measure as urgent.

“The President is very circumspect in the use of his powers to declare a certain bill urgent. He wants to follow it according to what the Constitution intends an urgent bill to be certified. That’s our guiding principle,” Lacierda said. “The FOI bill would have to deal (also) with the concerns of the legislative branch. Some legislators have concerns, so those concerns have to be threshed out,” he added.

Lacierda conceded that while administration critics can describe the move any way they want, the fact remains the government is “not afraid of any secrets” and has been “very open” about issues that affect the country.

“You call it a lame excuse but these are the realities. It (FOI bill) has to go through the legislative mill,” he said.  “Realizing... that you want to institutionalize FOI, that is the work of Congress to do so. We have never shied away from disclosing what the public deserves to know,” he insisted. 

“This is the administration where you saw a number of data coming out: PDAF, DAP, all the national concerns.” 

As early as December 2012, Aquino refused to certify the Congress-approved FOI bill as urgent, saying his administration has always been transparent and hence no longer needs the passage of such a measure.