Freedom of Information

EDITORIAL

The accusations against former Dept. of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno for reportedly trying to break inside the condominium unit of former DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo to get documents on his alleged involvement in an “anomalous” Philippine National Police gun deal involving millions of pesos has relegated passage of the Freedom of Information Bill in the background.     

In light of the delay in hearing the consolidated FOI Bill in the House of Representatives, youth groups have added their voice to the clamor for the measure to be immediately tackled by the House Committee on Public Information chaired by Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone.

           

Youth leaders recently formed the FOI Youth Initiative or the FYI, a network of organizations and

student councils “that believe that transparency and accountability are prerequisites for genuine social transformation.”

           

These groups come from schools such as the University of the Philippines System, the Ateneo de Manila University, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and the College of Saint Benilde.

Carlo Brolagda, one of the FYI’s convenors and the Chairperson of the UPD CSSP Student Council, said “it is high time the youth join in the clamor for the FOI to be passed into law. This is our issue, too.”

           

The FYI also voiced out their dismay over the inaction of the Rep. Evardone in allowing the bill to be heard in the Committee. “We don’t buy the excuses. Malacañang has already given its support for FOI. They even have their own version. Why Chairman Evardone seems to be dilly-dallying with calendaring the bill is beyond us,” he said.

           

The group released a manifesto signed by its partner youth and student organizations calling on lawmakers “to sincerely respond to the interests of the people by eliminating all obstacles that cause the slow pace of tackling the measure in the legislative mill.”

           

They also commended the 117 legislators from the House of Representatives who declared their commitment in passing the FOI Bill in a manifesto that was circulated by its authors, Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada and Rep. Walden Bello.

           

The FYI vowed to join in efforts of other sectors to lobby for the FOI Bill and to “recruit more young people to the campaign transforming a government that is genuinely transparent and accountable to the Filipino people.”

           

Whether Congress will act on the measure before the May elections next year remains to be seen. Media reports have it that some members of both Houses of Congress don’t actually want the bill enacted into law as it would open to the public a lot of anomalous transactions in government involving them, their kin or minions.  

           

Besides, the political season has actually started, and according to political analysts, the FOI wouldn’t be enacted under the present Congress.