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21 March 2014
The Aquino administration has endorsed a freedom of information bill, possibly improving the changes for House action, according to a March 22 article in The Philippine Star and a similar one by the Philippine News Agency. House Bill 3237 filed by Rep. Maria Leonor Robredo and Deputy Speaker Henedina Abad has the blessing of administration, […]
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17 March 2014
The leading Senate sponsors of the freedom to information bill in the Senate has said public pressure will bring about passage of a bill, taking a more charitable view than others on President Benigno Aquino’s continuing decision not to “certify” the bill as urgent. Sen. Grace Poe’s confidence contrasts with the growing concern among commentators […]
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10 March 2014
The Philippines Senate on March passed a freedom of information bill on third and final reading. All senators present voted in favor of the measure, according to a report by the Philippines Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) and one in The Inquirer. “While the Senate breezed through the FOI, the House version continues to meander […]
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6 March 2014
By Purple S. Romero and Jerryll Reyes The authors co-wrote a chapter on the “Politics of Freedom of Information Bill in the Philippines” in the book Room for Maneuver: Social Sector Policy Reform in the Philippines. The book, published by The Asia Foundation, will be launched on March 4. This article appeared originally March 1 […]
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4 March 2014
The Philippines Senate March 3 approved on second reading a freedom of information bill, after making some amendments. The FOI bill (Senate Bill 1733) is expected to pass on third and final reading on March 10. Senate passage has occurred regularly in recent years, but passage in the House has been the hang-up. Once again, the […]
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21 February 2014
Slow progress has been made by a Philippines House Committee to write a freedom of information bill. The Technical Working Group appointed last year began substantive talks on the bill for the first time Feb. 18, several days after a self-imposed Feb. 14 deadline for completing the job. After getting through the first six sections, the […]
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6 February 2014
A technical working group of a Philippines House committee has scheduled a meeting for Feb. 12 to discuss merging 22 freedom of information bills. The Public Information Committee meeting Feb. 5 agreed to adopt the noncontroversial provisions in the final draft, according to an Inquirer report. The article says: Meanwhile, the group would debate on the […]
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20 January 2014
Philippine House and Senate leaders continue to promise passage of freedom of information legislation, but a key House working group appointed in October to write a bill has yet to meet and the Aquino administration is continuing its hands off support. There’s a lack of desire and commitment from the House leadership and the Committee […]
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27 November 2013
A committee of the House of Representatives in the Philippines Nov. 26 voted 10-5 to have a consolidated measure done by Feb. 14. The House committee on public information approved the motion by Representative Emmeline Aglipay mandating a previously technical working group led by committee chairman Jorge Almonte to consolidate all 19 versions by February. The working […]
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25 October 2013
The Philippines House Public Information Committee Oct. 23 formed a technical working group to consolidate the 19 different freedom of the information bills before it. Committee Chairman Jorge Almonte wants to rename the legislation “access to information,” a proposal that has generated some negative reaction, according to a report in The Inquirer and another in […]
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17 October 2013
The Philippines’ Senate has delayed a vote on a freedom of information bill, probably until 2014. The Senate plans to work first on the proposed 2014 national budget, according to media reports of statements by Senate President Franklin Drilon. Plenary debates on the bill started and some reports had suggested a vote would be held […]
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5 September 2013
A Senate committee plans to speed up public hearings on the freedom of information with the goal of passage before Congress goes on break starting Sept. 25, Senate President Franklin Drilon said Sept. 2, according to media reports. The committee on public information and mass media has begun hearings on the FOI bill. Senate passage […]
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5 August 2013
A few new actors have been given lead roles in the long-running saga in the Philippines over whether a freedom of information bill can pass Congress. Rep. Jorge Almonte will chair the committee on public information, which last year delayed action on the bill under the chairmanship of Rep. Ben Evardone. FOI supporters had pushed […]
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22 July 2013
Despite a stress on fighting corruption, Philippines President Benigno Aquino did not mention pending freedom of information legislation in his annual State of the National address (Sona) July 22 Aquino talked for one hour and 44 minutes, with 88 applause breaks, and managing to mention 65 specific topics, according to one media count. Freedom of […]
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1 July 2013
Utilizing an “indirect initiative provision,” 18 groups in the Philippines on July 1 filed a freedom of information bill with the House of Representatives. The “People’s Freedom of Information Act of 2013,” supported by 18 groups, was submitted on the first day of the 16th Congress. “We are invoking this right to send a strong […]
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24 June 2013
Trying a new tactic, supporters of freedom of information legislation in the Philippines are planning to file a petition with Congress proposing enactment of a FOI law. There have been no shortage of proposed laws in recent years, but their backers have been frustrated bitterly in the last two session of Congress. They have faced […]
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20 May 2013
By Benjamin Diokno Diokno served as Secretary of Budget and Management from 1998 to 2001. He teaches Public Economics at the UP School of Economics. This article first appeared in the Malay Business Insight. Is President Aquino afraid of the Freedom of information (FOI) Act? During the 2010 presidential campaign, he said he fully supported […]
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5 April 2013
The first country self-assessment reports on progress toward fulfilling their Open Government Partnership commitments are surfacing, with more expected in the coming weeks. Posted on the OGP website now are reports from two countries: the Philippines and the United States. The United Kingdom has released its draft report, but posting of a final report will […]
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23 February 2013
The Steering Committee of the Open Government Partnership will only comment on national controversies in several defined “exceptional circumstances,” according to a Feb. 21 statement. The two-page statement comes in the wake of a request that the Steering Committee “signal” disappointment that the Philippines, a Steering Committee member, failed to pass freedom of information legislation. […]
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18 February 2013
A Philippines official has replied to allegations that the Aquino administration failed to live up to its commitments by not making sure a freedom of information bill passed, saying that other priorities took precedence. The government has taken other steps to increase transparency, according to the Feb. 13 letter which was sent to the members […]
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13 February 2013
A subcommittee of the Open Government Partnership is expected this week to discuss whether the OGP should signal its disappointment with the Philippines government for failing to pass freedom of information legislation. The request from FOI advocates poses a challenge to OGP officials, who have said that criticizing governments is not an OGP function. The […]
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6 February 2013
Philippines President Benigno Aquino was disingenuous in his promise of support for freedom of information legislation, according to strongly worded statement from the broadly based Right to Know. Right Now! Coalition. “Mag-Ingat sa Hindi Tunay” (Beware of Fakes), is the headline on the statement with 160 signatures that was issued Feb. 6 as Congress ended […]
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31 January 2013
Time appears to be running out for freedom of information legislation in the Philippines in the absence of support from President Benigno Aquino and with only three days left in this session of Congress. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda on Jan. 31 said, “Our position is let’s have a debate, a healthy debate on this issue […]
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28 January 2013
The Philippines House Jan. 28 took up the long-delayed freedom of information bill, but with only five days left in the congressional session and still without presidential help. Promisingly, considering that quorum problems are common during the final days of a session, a roll call was answered by 186 members. The FOI bill (House Bill 6766) had not […]
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25 January 2013
Support from President Benigno Aquino appears to be the only hope for passage of a freedom of information in the Philippines, so supporters of the bill hope to meet with him during the week of Jan. 28. With the House set to adjourn Feb. 8, leaving just six more session days, the bill’s chances have […]
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23 January 2013
Leading sponsors of the freedom of information bill now languishing before the Philippines House have appealed to President Benigno Aquino to throw a lifeline to the bill. Another day passed without House action Jan. 23, leaving just six session days to go before the House adjourns the current session on Feb. 8. “Akbayan Representative Walden Bello […]
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22 January 2013
A procedural move on an unrelated matter has delayed action by the Philippines House on a freedom of information bill with only seven session days to go. The unexpected delay with little time to spare was one of several plot twists in recent days for the imperiled bill which continues to get barely token support […]
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31 December 2012
Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte, Jr., has said that the freedom of information bill will be one of the priority bills when the Philippines House of Representatives on Jan. 21 convenes for what will only be an nine-day session. But Belmonte told reporters that mustering a quorum will be a challenge, according to news reports including […]
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21 December 2012
The freedom of information bill was not presented on the floor of the Philippines House during the closing days of the 2012 session, leaving another step to be taken in nine days available for possible action early next year. Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada in a text message to reporters, said that the bill is “back […]
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17 December 2012
By Toby McIntosh The Philippines House won’t take up a freedom of information bill until next year, when there will be only a two-week window for a vote. Senate action is completed now, but the bill’s biggest hurdle historically has been in the House. The House plans to returns Jan. 21, 2013, but the session will […]
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11 December 2012
Both the Philippines House and the Senate have taken additional steps toward passing a freedom of information bill, but one of the biggest hurdles, passage by the full House, remains ahead, with the timing uncertain. On Dec. 11, the same House committee that approved the bill Nov. 27, was forced by its chairman to hold […]
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3 December 2012
In a move called “unneccesary” and ”disturbing” by fellow legislators, Rep. Ben Evardone has said a procedural requirement means his Committee on Public Information must meet again on the freedom of information bill. He set Dec. 11 as the day for members to sign the committee report on the bill approved Nov. (See previous FreedomInfo.org […]
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30 November 2012
With the Philippines House poised to debate a freedom of information bill soon, its supporters are expected to propose an alternative to the controversial right-to-reply provision. A long debate is expected in the 285-member House of Representatives, according to Senior Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin, quoted in Sunstar. Still to come is a from House […]
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27 November 2012
A Philippines House committee Nov. 27 voted 17-3, with one abstention, to approve a long-stalled freedom of information bill. Final passage, however, remains uncertain because of time pressures. Approval by the full House this year would require action during the 11 session days left before Congress goes on a Christmas break, and only limited time […]
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16 November 2012
The Philippines’ House committee chairman who has delayed action on freedom of information legislation is promising it will be the only topic for a Nov. 27 meeting. Rep. Ben Evardone Nov. 16 said the FOI bill “will be our only agenda” when the committee meets, according to a text message reported on by the Inquirer. […]
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13 November 2012
A committee of the Philippines House Nov. 13 failed to pass the much-delayed freedom of information bill prompting supporters to declare the bill not only dead, but “murdered.” Committee Chairman Ben Evardone forced the adjournment of the inconclusive meeting with a procedural move, thwarting Representatives supporting the bill, who had demanded a final vote, according […]
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9 November 2012
Tuesday, Nov. 13, is looming as a potentially big day for freedom of information legislation in the Philippines. A House committee, after much delay, is scheduled consider the bill on that day. A leading supporter on the House said he is “optimistic” it will pass “as long as the chairman has the courage to support […]
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12 October 2012
The schedule for considering freedom of information in the Philippines House of Representatives has slipped again, prompted new fears that it will not be passed this year. Nov. 13 has been set as the date for a House committee meeting, after earlier promises of action in mid-October disappeared. FOI proponent Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada […]
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7 September 2012
To my fellow Representatives: Let us not create demons in our own minds as we have full control of the final language of the law. That’s a Sept. 4 tweet from the Philippines’ House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, a frustrated proponent of the still-stalled freedom of information bill. Meanwhile, the House Majority Leader […]
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22 August 2012
The Right to Know Right Now Coalition in the Philippines has asked House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte to intervene and get the freedom of information bill out of committee. The letter from the network of 150 media and civil society organizations pushing the passage of the FOIasks Belmonte to take steps to “ensure full deliberation and […]
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15 August 2012
By the Right to Know, Right Now Coalition The following editorial ran in many paper in the Philippines July 15. In 1986 at EDSA, the first people power revolt ended 21 years of a government so dark and so opaque, and ushered in one of light and transparency. The strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos was […]
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6 August 2012
Advocates for passage of a freedom of information law in the Philippines have begun an advertising blitz targeting a key House committee chairman, Rep. Ben Evardone, who is widely viewed as the major impediment to passing the bill. A cartoon shows a tensely smiling Evardone dribbling a basketball labeled “Freedom of Information.” A caption says: […]
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3 August 2012
Philippines Deputy House Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III said Aug. 3 that he is optimistic that the controversial Freedom of Information bill will passed by December, but the bill still is bottled up in a House committee. The bill remains in the House committee on public information chaired by Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone, who […]
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3 August 2012
By Nepo Malaluan Malaluan is a Trustee at the Action for Economic Reforms and Co-Director of the Institute for Freedom of Information. He is also Co-Convenor of the Right to Know. Right Now! Coalition, a network of more than 150 organizations from various sectors that have long been campaigning for the passage of the Freedom […]
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23 July 2012
Philippines President Benigno Aquino did not mention the Freedom of Information bill in his annual State of the Nation address July 23, disheartening FOI supporters. The pro-FOI coalition had urged him to draw attention to the legislation, which has passed the Senate but seems to be stalled in a House committee. “The committee’s chairperson, Rep. […]
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8 June 2012
The chairman of the committee in the Philippines House that will handle the freedom of information bill said June 5 that he will be trying to come up with an “acceptable formula.” Rep. Ben Evardone, public information committee chairman, was quoted in an article by Jess Diaz in The Philippine Star and by GMA. “I’m […]
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3 June 2012
Despite near unanimous support for a freedom of information bill in the Philippines Senate, the bill’s prospects remain uncertain in the House. Twenty-two out of 23 senators have endorsed the committee report on a FOI bill by Sen. Gregorio B. Honasan II, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information. Honasan was expected to formally […]
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17 February 2012
A leader in the Philippines House of Representatives has indicated he plans to schedule hearings on freedom of information in late February en route to summertime enactment. The comment by Deputy House Speaker and Quezon Representative Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada came at a Feb. 15 press event at which the bill’s supporters released a lengthy statement […]
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6 February 2012
Now that Philippine President Benigno Aquino has submitted his freedom of information bill, proposals to expand it have surfaced and critics are calling it too timid. FOI advocates had known the bill would fall below their expectations, but decided to compromise in order to fulfill a decade-old goal of passing a FOI law. Proponents in the Congress continue […]
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3 February 2012
Philippines President Benigno Aquino Feb. 2 sent to Congress his administration’s long awaited version of the freedom of information bill. “Earlier today, we formally submitted to our coalition partners in the House of Representatives a substitute Freedom of Information Bill, which we believe addresses stakeholders’ desires to have more transparency and more access to information […]
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20 January 2012
The disclosure of a World Bank document indicating possible misuse of Bank funds in the Philippines has raised a controversy and raised questions about the handling of such Bank documents. The Bank’s aide memoire details “ineligible expenditures” to support a judicial reform project. New reports indicate that the Bank’s aide memoire was provided to Philippine […]
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13 January 2012
The version of freedom of information legislation supported by Philippines President Benigno Aquino is being called the People’s Ownership of Government Information bill, or POGI, which is Filipino slang for handsome, and supporters continue to be hopeful it will pass, although some have expressed concern that it is not officially on the list of bills […]
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6 January 2012
President Benigno Aquino has approved his version of freedom of information legislation, altering it to drop a proposal for an information commission. The president’s recommendation for congressional approval was heralded as yet another sign of potential progress toward enactment. The elimination of a commission clause did not distress supporters because they expect that the alternative of […]
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8 December 2011
The Aquino administration has produced a long-awaited proposal for a freedom of information bill in the Philippines which has been praised by pro-FOI advocates and appears likely to pass. The issuance of a draft law came after months during which President Benigno Aquino, who had appointed a study group of top officials in November 2010 […]
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7 November 2011
Philippines President Benigno Aquino Nov. 4 continued to voice doubts for months about freedom of information legislation, saying in a YouTube interview that “the devil is in the details.” He continued, “When does it help the interests of the people and when can it inflict harm?” Still, he said his administration is consulting in an […]
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20 September 2011
The Open Government Partnership commitment by the Philippines government on pending freedom of legislation is general and President Benigno Aquino, who addressed an OGP event in New York Sept. 20, but did not mention the pending bill. The Phlippines national action plan statement on the OGP website, posted Sept. 20, states in part: Promote Access to Government Information. […]
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14 September 2011
Eight more countries have indicated their intention to join the Open Government Partnership – Azerbaijan, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Jordan, Montenegro, Tanzania and Turkey. OGP membership now stands at 36. The OGP website lists 28 countries that have agreed to participate in addition to the eight founding members. The list is: Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, […]
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2 September 2011
Nine countries plus the initial core group of eight have pledged to join the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a U.S. official told FreedomInfo.org Sept. 2, bringing total membership to 17. The nine countries that have sent in “letters of intent” are Kenya, Guatemala, Honduras, Albania, Macedonia, Malta, Georgia, Moldova and Slovakia. More letters are expected, […]
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25 August 2011
Efforts by the eight conveners of the Open Government Partnership to draft their national “action plans” are slowly emerging, according to a FreedomInfo.org survey. However, in most countries the development of a plan does not appear to involve the wide public consultation called for in the “road map” for OGP aspirants to follow. In the […]
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17 August 2011
Philippines President Benigno Aquino has “specific questions and concerns” about freedom of information legislation, according to a spokesman in comments after the Aquino administration bypassed another opportunity to make the bill a priority. The inaction brought a round of condemnations from the bill’s frustrated supporters. The legislation was not placed on a list of priority […]
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25 July 2011
Philippine President Benigno Aquino did not mention freedom of information in his July 25 State of the Union address, but several days later said his proosal was almost ready. In a speech July 28, however, Aquino said he had ordered the drafting of a “balanced” freedom of information bill and suggested it would be ready […]
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22 July 2011
Philippine President Benigno Aquino still has not indicated whether he will support a freedom of information bill developed by a working group of his ministers, according to sources consulted by FreedomInfo.org and media reports. Aquino “will likely not mention the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill in his second State of the Nation Address on July […]
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4 May 2011
The chances of a freedom of information in the Philippines improved this week as aides to President Benigno Aquino said that a FOI bill will be presented to the House of Representatives. The Palace bill has not yet been made public, but even the prospect of a written proposal is considered positive news after Aquino […]
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2 May 2011
There are a few signs of more transparency since President Benigno Aquino came to power nearly a year ago, but in most parts of the government “a predilection for opaqueness lingers and more barriers to access have been imposed,” according to a new report by the Philippines Center for Investigative Journalism. “Indeed, because Mr. Aquino’s […]
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1 March 2011
The Aquino administration has created an inter-agency team to draft its own freedom of information bill, a move that the pro-FOI coalition said “could simply throw a monkey wrench” into the process. At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the administration is seeking to balance privacy and the right to information, according to […]
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18 February 2011
A top leader of the Philippine House of Representatives said this week that an effort will be made to bring a bill up Feb. 22. The statement by Deputy Speaker and Quezon Representative Lorenzo Tañada III comes despite the decision so far by the new Aquino administration not to make the FOI bill a legislative […]
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7 February 2011
New Philippine President Benigno Aquino III has left the Freedom of Information bill off his short list of legislative goals, despite having indicated during the campaign that it would be a priority. At a briefing Feb. 7, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said “certain issues” concerning the FOIA bill are under study, but did not elaborate, […]
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26 November 2010
After a long post-election silence about freedom of information legislation, Philippine President Benigno Aquno has suggested various reservations. Aquino’s support for such legislation was not at issue, but calls for him to make it a priority legislation matter went unheeded. Recently legislative action on various FOI proposals has resumed. (See previous Freedominfo.org report.) The Aquino […]
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24 November 2010
A bi-partisan parliamentary working group has been formed to “further polish” a freedom of information bill for the Philippines, according to a news report on ABS-CBNNews.com. Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada was quoted as saying that the group “hopes to wrap up its work before Christmas so the measure can be reported out before the […]
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5 November 2010
Senate Minority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano Nov. 5 called on the new Aquino administration to act on the freedom of information bill. “I’m a bit disappointed with the way the Palace is treating the FOI bill,” Cayetano said during a press conference, according to GMANews.TV reporter Kimberly Jane T. Tam. Last month, Cayetano urged […]
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9 September 2010
Legislative hearings may begin soon on a freedom of information law for the Philippines after efforts to pass it were thwarted in June. According to a report by Christian V. Esguerra in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, “The ill-fated Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill may have found a new lease on life amid criticism of the manner […]
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12 July 2010
A coalition of more than 160 civil society groups and personalities has urged the adoption of a Freedom of Information law, according to media reports. “The Right to Know Right Now! Coalition also wants President Benigno Aquino III to include the bill among his priority measures in his State of the Nation Address on […]
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2 July 2010
Legislation to create a Freedom of Information law has been refilled in the Philippine Congress.“This time it will not be killed,” said Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada III, quoted in an article by in the Manila Bulletin.. A Freedom of Information (FOI) bill failed to pass in the recently concluded 14th Congress. Bayan Muna Rep. […]
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4 June 2010
By Toby McIntosh
The House of Representatives in the Philippines on June 4 was unable to pass a Freedom of Information Act because not enough congressmen showed up. The failure to obtain a quorum on the last day of the congressional session appears to end the high hopes of activists, although several news accounts noted that a …
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2 June 2010
By Toby McIntosh
Advocates of a Freedom on Information Law for the Philippines are looking at June 4 as the last chance for getting it passed in this session of Congress. Supporters had hoped for quick House approval May 31, but were stymied by House Speaker Prospero Nograles, who is delaying action on any legislative matters pending …
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28 May 2010
The seeming excellent prospects for passage of a Freedom of Information Act in the Philippines are being serious threatened as the Congress tries to sort out the election results…
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18 January 2008
The Global Transparency Initiative has expressed concern about the decision by they International Monetary Fund to postponement review of the IMF Transparency Policy, originally scheduled for 2008. GTI wrote to IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn Dec. 17 after learning from the IMF’s External Relations Department that the next review of the Fund’s Transparency Policy, originally […]
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11 November 2003
SunStar Network (Philippines) reports that court employees, instead of chanting protest lines, sang old-time favorites and danced to boogey tunes as they demanded transparency in the disbursement of the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF). Wearing red shirts or red armbands, the court employees called for a salary increase and transparency in the disbursement of the Judiciary […]
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17 January 2003
A case study published today on Freedominfo.org reveals that the Philippines, despite its lack of actual freedom of information legislation, is amongst the most open democracies in Southeast Asia. In a 2001 survey on the accessibility to the public of 43 government-held records, it fared even better than Thailand, which passed an Official Information Act […]
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17 January 2003
Yvonne T. Chua has been the training director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) since 1995. As journalism trainer, she has trained scores of journalists in the Philippines and abroad, including Indonesia, Cambodia and Nepal. In 1999, she won the first prize in the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Investigative Journalism for her […]
