Solons confident of signed FOI law before PNoy steps down

MANILA, Philippines -  Advocates of the Freedom of Information bill in the House of Representatives are confident that Congress will pass the proposed statute after legislators address the concerns of Malacañang.

The bill is now being consolidated with other FOI measures by a Technical Working Group (TWG) after Undersecretary Manuel Quezon III of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office explained Malacañang’s position during a meeting last March 10.

"I have examined HB 3237 and the 15th Congress’ Committee report version which is the template we are using for the TWG’s consolidation of the FOI bills filed before the 16th Congress. Except for the differences in the order of provisions and a few distinct provisions, the bill endorsed by Malacañang and the template reference bill are identical in most provisions, and substantially the same," DIWA Partylist Rep. Emmeline Aglipay said.

Another FOI advocate, Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene ‘Kaka’ Bag-ao, said that it was clear in Quezon’s remarks that the TWG’s reference bill and the bill of fellow congressmen are able to cover the concerns of the Office of the President and government agencies about national security, executive privilege, and administrative offense for violators, among others.

"We have attained a level of agreement with the executive that was not there during the past Congresses. It is important that we are in unison and the communication remains open. We hope this will continue until we hurdle the plenary debates," Bag-ao added.

Aglipay submitted to the Chair of the Committee on Public Information, Misamis Occidental Rep. Jorge Almonte the comparative study of the TWG’s template that is being discussed and the Malacañang-supported HB 3237, filed by Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor Robredo.

"We are hopeful that with closer legislative and executive cooperation, we can expect the realization of the long-awaited FOI law before the end of this administration," Bag-ao said.