Karapatan sa impormasyon, pinalalakas pa

Isang mambabatas mula sa Visayas ang naghain ng panukalang batas na naglalayong palakasin ang karapatan ng mga mamamayan sa impormasyon (right to information).

Sinabi ni Rep. Raul Del Mar (1st District, Cebu City), layunin ng House Bill No. 12 na mailagay sa tamang lugar ang batas na kinakailangan upang maipatupad ang constitutional provision tungkol sa karapatan ng mamamayan sa impormasyon na may kinalaman sa pampublikong kapakanan.

“Under the Constitution, citizens shall be afforded access to official records, and to papers, and documents pertaining to official transactions, acts, or decisions, as well as government research data used as basis for policy development,” paliwanag nito.

Ayon kay Del Mar, ang nabanggit na panukala ay inaprubahan na sa pangatlo at pinal na pagbasa ng Kamara at Senado at pinagtibay na rin ng Bicameral Conference Committee noon pang 14th Congress.

“Unfortunately, however, while the subject Conference Committee Report was ratified by the Senate, the same could not be ratified by the House due to lack of quorum of the last session day of the 14th Congress. The proposed ‘Freedom of Information Act’ covers all government agencies in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches including departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, Constitutional Commissions and constitutionally mandated bodies,” pagdidiin din nito.