GO, GO, GO, FOI BILL!!! BE A LAW, ASAP!!! 👍👍👍 ************************************** Freedom of Information bill moves to House plenary The House committee on public information votes 10-3 to approve the proposed Freedom of Information Act; The bill now moves to the plenary for deliberations. Angela Casauay Published 3:47 PM, Nov 24, 2014 Updated 4:37 PM, Nov 24, 2014 DEBATES. The public information of the committee tackles the Freedom of Information bill. Photo by Rappler MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Voting 10-3, the public information committee of the House of Representatives on Monday, November 24, approved the consolidated version of the proposed Freedom of Information law. The bill, which installs fast procedures in accessing public documents, will now move to the plenary for deliberations. The three lawmakers who voted no were Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares, Camiguin Representative Xavier Jesus Romualdo and Act Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio. Just minutes into the committee hearing, DIWA Representative Emmelyn Aglipay moved to adopt the technical working group (TWG) report on the FOI bill, saying that the measure had been discussed enough during the 9 TWG meetings heard over the course of the past year. Members of the Makabayan Coalition in the House opposed the motion. Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares said the committee should first hear the objections of some House members. But House public information committee chair Jorge Almonte said objections and proposed amendments may still be tackled during the period of debates and amendments, and ruled that the motion should be voted upon. The 7-member Makabayan bloc earlier released a position paper criticizing certain provisions, which they said rendered the proposed law as toothless. They said Section 7 of the proposed law contains unjustifiable exceptions that will make it easier for government to withhold information and make it difficult for the media and the public to access information. For the Makabayan bloc, only 4 exceptions should be included in the bill - those information pertaining to national security and diplomatic negotiation as qualified by the bill, criminal investigations, the right to privacy of private individuals, and legitimate commercial secrets. The coalition said the consolidated version of the FOI bill does not provide unqualified access to the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of government officials since it will still be subject to existing laws, rules and regulations. In the House of Representatives, for instance, only summaries of the SALNs are released to the public and access to the SALNs themselves are subject to the approval of individual lawmakers. In their position paper, the Makabayan bloc said the law should not give blanket authority to government officials to exempt minutes and advice expressed during decision-making from the FOI bill if it will likely frustrate policy formulation. This will defang the FOI bill, Colmenares said. Colmenares told the committee only information that are expressed in executive session, which will endanger state security should be exempted. Defense Advocates of the FOI bill in the House also prepared a position paper in response to the positions made by the Makabayan bloc. On the issue of SALN access, Akbayan Representative Barry Gutierrez said there is nothing in the law that limits access to SALNs. It only includes the option to redact private information in the document, he added. Gutierrez argued that the proposed FOI law goes a step further and even requires the mandatory disclosure of SALNs in government websites even without a request. The provision covers the SALNs of high-ranking government officials such as the: President Vice president Members of the cabinet Senate and House members Supreme Court justices Members of Constitutional Commissions Officers of the Armed Forces with the rank of general or the equivalent rank On exceptions to law enforcement, Gutierrez said there is jurisprudence that recognizes exceptions to access to such information. Camiguin Representative Xavier Jesus Romualdo also opposed the move to adopt the TWG report. One of his reservations was on the capacity of barangays to come up with websites within a timeframe of two years. The proposed law requires all branches of government to upload public documents, including their annual budgets and bid results, in a website. Romualdo said the local government officials were not consulted on the bill. Aglipay, in response, said the bill provides for capacity-building measure. Planned moves In an interview after the hearing, Ifugao Representative Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr said advocates hope to pass the FOI bill on 3rd reading by the middle of 2015. The bill came close to being a law in the 14th Congress but the House of Representatives failed to ratify it due to the lack of a quorum. During the 15th Congress, the bill only managed to hurdle the committee level. – Rappler rappler/nation/75958-freedom-information-moves-house-plenary
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 08:53:32 +0000
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