Int’l FOI advocates ask:
Where’s PH’s FOI law?

AN INTERNATIONAL network of freedom of information (FOI) advocates has noted with concern the failure of President Benigno S. Aquino III to make a clear and firm stand on freedom of information legislation that remains pending before the Philippine Congress.

Freedominfo.org, a web portal that links FOI advocates worldwide, also noted that the Philippine National Action Plan that President Aquino presented before the Open Government Partnership (OGP) launch in New York on September 20, does not even make mention of the pending measure.

Instead, the President’s presentation only “spoke generally about the (importance) of information in democracies and the potential value of the OGP,” according to a report posted on Freedominfo.org.

The OGP launch brings together governments, civil society groups, academics, and media organizations for a partnership based on open, responsive, and accountable governance.

So far, 46 countries, including the Philippines, have already joined the OGP.

However, President Aquino’s administration has come under increasing criticism for his failure to prioritize the Freedom of Information bill that has been pending in Congress for the last 14 years.

Just before the President departed Manila last week for the OGP launch and a state visit to the United States, Philippine advocates of the FOI bill lamented the Prssident’s failure to live up to his campaign promise to prioritize the FOI. Members of the Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition said the President was “long on promises, but short on political will” when it came to the FOI.

President Aquino has asked for more time to study the FOI bill, citing concerns supposedly raised by members of his cabinet about its impact on security and government operations.

a video celebrating Right to Know Day 2011

For more updates on the OGP launch in New York, visit the OGP website here, or the Freedominfo.org website here.