Ben Rosario Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas has revived discussions on the Freedom of Information issue by filing a new measure proposing the passage of an enabling law on the said constitutional right of Filipinos. Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas
(Alfred Vargas official Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN) Vargas recently said the constitutional provision on the right of access to information requires an enabling law that should have been passed immediately after the ratification of the 1987 Constitution. He filed House Bill No. 5776 or “An Act Enabling the People’s Constitutional Right of Access to Information” and appealed to the House leadership to prioritize the measure. While he welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 2, Vargas explained that the FOI must still be legislated. EO No. 2 mandates all national government agencies under the Executive Branch to operationalize the people’s constitutional right to information. “EO No. 2 does not and cannot cover other important government institutions like local governments, the legislature, independent constitutional bodies, and the judiciary. Coverage of these other government instrumentalities can only be done by an act of Congress,” Vargas said. The lawmaker also explained that having an FOI law will carry a lot more weight in terms of enforcement and compliance, as only a law can impose criminal liabilities. The EO, on the other hand, can only exact administrative liabilities for denial of the information. “One particular aspect of my filed bill, which I will fight tooth and nail for, is to make available all statistical data on budgets, appropriations, contracts, and the like in machine readable format.  This means giving jpeg and pdf files are a no-no,” he said. “This will ensure that researchers and analysts will have a quicker and easier time in processing and analyzing data especially with regard to people’s money.” Another key feature of Vargas’ FOI bill is the creation of an Information Commission to oversee the FOI’s implementation and enforcement. This is not present in any of the other versions filed in the House of Representatives. Vargas expressed optimism on the passage of the FOI bill, saying Duterte’s strong political will and House Speaker Alan Cayetano’s previous tenure as chair of the Senate committee on public information will ensure the quick passage of the proposed legislation. “The political will is there as far as the President is concerned. I am further hopeful because the farthest the FOI bill has ever gone in the legislative mill was when then-Senator Alan Peter Cayetano chaired the Senate committee on public information.  Now, he is the Speaker of the House and with him at the helm, Congress can quickly act and pass this measure,” he explained. “I have full faith that this 18th Congress is made up of men and women ready to deliver a landmark legislation that paves to way to an empowered and informed citizenry all contributing to good governance and our nation’s development,” he said.