President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has renewed his government's commitment to enact a Freedom of Information (FOI) Law as this would stem the tide of disinformation and misinformation online.
*INFORMATION CONFERENCE — President Marcos keynotes the 14th Edition of the International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on June 19, 2023. (RTVM Screenshot)*


Marcos said this as he graced the 14th Edition of the International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on Monday morning, June 19. In his keynote message, the President lamented how the Internet, despite its many benefits, has become a "breeding ground" for malicious information. "While we can appreciate how the Internet has vastly improved the way we live and the way we conduct our businesses, it has, unfortunately, become a breeding ground for misinformation and disinformation," he said. "Like everyone here, we, too, recognize as a matter of principle that fake news should have no place in modern society," he added. With this, Marcos said his administration is committed to institutionalizing access to information in all levels and domains of government, including the passage of an FOI Law. "The Philippine Development Plan for 2023-2028 includes the commitment to localize our access to information mechanism while pursuing legislative initiatives to enact the Freedom of Information law," he said. "Our people can be assured of the continued implementation of the FOI program in the Executive Branch, through the Presidential Communications Office," he added. Former president Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) No. 2 in 2016, establishing the country's first FOI program. The EO required all government offices under the Executive Branch to disclose public records and any information requested by the public, except for matters affecting national security and other information that falls under the [inventory of exceptions](https://mb.com.ph/2023/3/23/palace-updates-exceptions-to-foi-access-1) created by the executive secretary. In his message, President Marcos said the FOI Program has leveraged available technology and the digital platform to implement projects and activities and served as a cornerstone in his administration's campaign against false information. "Many of us in the public service, and to this you could likewise relate, were victims of fake news at one point or another," he noted. "Such campaigns should never be an opportunity to derail anyone, leaders and common people alike, from doing the good they intend and from serving the public," he added. Marcos said having a mechanism people can use to empower themselves is a sign of genuine democracy. "When we arm our citizens with the right information, it allows them to make sound and informed decisions. We can provide them with information that they can piece together and generate knowledge," he said. "In turn, this makes them productive citizens, hence contributing to our nation-building efforts. After all, knowledge is a building block of progress," he added.