FOI advocates welcome Pnoy bill,
battle shifts to Congress

THE RIGHT TO KNOW, Right Now! Coalition, a network of 150 civil society groups pushing for the passage of a Freedom of Information (FOI) law, today welcomed the submission by President Benigno S. Aquino III of a Palace version of the FOI bill.

The Palace version of the FOI bill may be viewed here.

At the same time the coalition stressed that the battle is far from over, as FOI advocates must now press Congress to pass the measure at the soonest possible time without watering down significant provisions of the bill.

The bill’s main proponent in the House of Representative, Rep. Erin Tanada, said they are still hoping to have the measure signed into law before 2012 is over.