Freedom of Information Bill

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL

                 An act to strengthen the right of citizens to information held by the government. The State recognizes the right of the people to information on matters of public concern, and adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest, subject to the procedures and limitations provided by this act. This right is indispensable to the exercise of the right of the people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making. In this bill every person who is a filipino citizen has a right to and shall, on request, be given access to any record under the control of a government agency.

                 Many have asked if this bill is advantageous to the Filipino citizens. If I were asked if I favor this bill then I would say that I am on the neutral side, it is either a yes or a no. It is a yes in the perspective of the filipino citizens. This is because the public will have the knowledge about the properties of government officials, about all of their transactions. Every move the government makes will be made public if ever this bill is made into a law. All information pertaining to officials acts, transactions or decisions, as well as government research data used as a basis for policy development, subject to the exceptions enumerated under section 6 of this act, regardless of their physical form or format in which they are contained and by whom they were made. It is a no in the perspective of govenrment officials, this is because they will not have the privacy that they want or need. All information regarding their actions shall be made public if requested by the citizens.

                  This bill was almost made into a law but still awaits the signature of the president. In my opinion, i don't think this will ever be put into a law since corruption is already within our government. Government officials who have many things to hide would not favor this bill. Therefore, even if we wait this won't be made into a law.