BEFORE THE 14th Congress came to a close, around 67 foreign organizations sent a letter to the former President, Senate President and House Speaker, urging them to ratify the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill.
This collective feat proves how staunch supporters have as much influence in a bill’s passage as the legislators who wrote it. These advocates still hang on great hope on the bill’s revival.
Media Coalitions
THE RIGHT to Know, Right Now! Campaign has brought together 160 organizations which played a crucial role in giving increased media attention to the bill. In their joint statement, they stated that the Congress “can delay the FOI Act but not ever defeat it. The people’s right to know springs forth from our democracy; it will endure.”
The campaign is part of the Access to Information Network composed of 12 sectoral groups advocating the right to information.
The Academe
POLITICAL SCIENCE instructor Gino Trinidad said that access to information would make students “become aware of the country’s situation and take action especially if the government is messing things up.”
Andrew Ty, a Communications instructor, meanwhile asserted that institutions like the Ateneo may only fully perform its social call by becoming “informed of the decisions made at the top and [responding to such decisions].”
Journalists
“A CLEAR betrayal of democracy” was how the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines described Congress’ failure to pass the FOI bill.
The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) denounced the means by which government agencies disclosed information. In an interview by rightsreporting.net, Ed Lingao, a PCIJ reporter, said, “It’s like you owe them a debt of gratitude if you’re given the information.”
International Groups
THE INTERNATIONAL Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the Congress for its failure to ratify the FOI bill.
“Hopes for improvement to the Philippines’ press freedom status and citizens’ right to know have suffered a serious setback,” said IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park.
The IFJ is currently calling on the new Aquino administration to make the FOI bill a top priority in the 15th Congress.
