EDITORIAL - Waiting for FOI

In a nod to civil liberties, President Duterte’s Executive Order No. 2, which he signed less than two months into his term, promoted freedom of information throughout the executive branch.

The order has its limits, however, and it was not complemented by legislation, with even the President’s super majority in the 17th Congress sitting on the Freedom of Information bill. Later, the House of Representatives went a step further and issued a list of rules that its leaders said facilitated FOI, but which critics said effectively made it more complicated to obtain access to congressmen’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth. The SALN is supposed to be a public document.

Apart from the SALN, there are other public records that continue to be difficult to obtain, and which could benefit from a legislated freedom of information policy. With the start of the terms of the new batch of lawmakers, the FOI bill has been one of the first measures to be re-filed in the Senate. Whether it will be passed is another story.

Technology has promoted transparency in the bureaucracy. Posting detailed information about bidding and procurement as well as government projects and programs has allowed close scrutiny for delayed implementation, corruption and other possible anomalies.

Still, there are many other matters in government that the public has a right to know, but which are withheld and are best obtained if freedom of information is institutionalized by law. An executive order is good, but an FOI law is better. It is critical in the campaign against corruption, which President Duterte has described as a priority of his administration. Members of the 18th Congress who profess support for the President must give the FOI bill urgent attention and approval.