MANILA, Philippines – Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. clarified President Aquino’s stand to public to put pressure to have the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill passed by the members of the 16th Congress though that this position does not mean the administration is no longer keen on having this legislative measure enacted under President Aquino’s term.
The clamor for President Aquino to have an active role on the ratification of an FOI Bill, that was among his campaign promises, was made prominent again after administration Senator Grace Poe recently passed on third reading the Upper House’s version of the said legislation.
Coloma, however, reiterated that President Aquino is only being ‘circumspect’ in exercising his privilege to certify a bill as urgent. “In fact, the commitment has already been fulfilled in actual government practice, at nakikita naman natin ito sa lahat ng larangan,” he said.
The Palace official stressed that even if the FOI Bill is yet to become a law, the Aquino administration has already concretized the principles of openness, transparency, full disclosure, and accountability of public officials, which are also being espoused by the proposed measure.
“Ang concern lang ng stakeholders ay paano na ‘pag nagpalit na ng administrasyon? Kaya nga iginigiit nila na kinakailangang magkaroon ng batas. Kaya kaisa naman kami doon sa pagnanasang magkaroon ng batas dahil gusto rin naman nating maging permanente at ma-institutionalize ‘yung mga repormang ‘yan,” Coloma said.
Malacañang said it will continue to support developments on the FOI Bill at the Senate, while it waits for the action of lawmakers at the House of Representatives on their version, hoping that the elected congressmen would respond positively to this proposed law.
“Kaisa tayo ng mga mamamayan sa pagnanasa na maipasa na ito (FOI Bill) at sana’y matupad na ‘yan sa lalong madaling panahon. Wala naman pong ginagawa ang pamahalaan para hadlangan ‘ito. Ang gusto lang po nating maganap ay ‘yung mainam na proseso na kung saan ang mga mamamayan mismo ang magpapahiwatig sa kanilang mga kinatawan,” Coloma said.
