Duterte opens information to all

Govt staff who do not follow rule will face action

MANILA: The executive order read: “Every Filipino shall have access to information, official records, public records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for public document.”

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the executive order (EO) implementing Freedom of Information (FOI) in the executive branch.

In a press conference in Davao City yesterday, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said that the president had signed the EO at 7pm on Saturday, just before he delivers his first state of the nation address (SONA) here today.

Duterte also signed the EO three weeks after he assumed office.

“Only 25 days as president, this is a record-breaking speed of a cornerstone or milestone executive order being signed in our history,” Andanar said.

The Palace official also read the provisions of the executive order to the public yesterday.

Andanar claimed that the timing of the signing of the EO had nothing to do with Duterte’s first SONA.

“On the first day of President Rody Duterte on June 30, we already pushed for an executive order on the freedom of information.

“There was substantive pushing and pulling and additions to this executive order for a more transparent executive branch,” Andanar said.

“It just so happened that the executive order was finalised on Saturday night.”

The order was supposed to be signed as early as two weeks ago but officials claimed it was “overtaken by events” like the issuance of the ruling on the South China Sea row by a Hague-based arbitral tribunal.

The court ruled in favour of the Philippines and declared that China’s expansive territorial claim has no legal basis.

Under the FOI, access to information shall be denied when the information falls under any of the exceptions provided for in the 1987 Constitution.

Filipinos can request for the information they need by submitting a written request to the government office concerned.

The letter should contain a proof of identity of the requesting party, a description of the information needed and the purpose of the request.

The EO also said that requesting for information in government offices shall be free of charge.

However, the offices may charge a “reasonable” fee to shoulder the actual costs of reproduction and copying of the information being requested.

Under Section 15 of the said order, any employee or public officer who will fail to comply with the provisions of the EO may face very stern administrative and disciplinary

Only 25 days as president, this is a recordbreaking speed of a cornerstone or milestone executive order being signed in our history. Martin Andanar

sanctions from the government.

The Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor General are directed to prepare a list of exceptions within 30 days from the date of the effectivity of the EO.

He said that aside from agencies in the executive branch, state universities and colleges and government-owned or controlled corporations are also covered by the order. — Philippine Daily Inquirer / Asia News Network