Manila: The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) are set to promote the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill during the 20th Congress. The DBM announced that a series of roundtable discussions have been held with various stakeholders to advance the bill's passage.
According to Philippines News Agency, representatives from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector contributed their insights to refine the bill's provisions. The discussions addressed key areas such as the bill's scope, processing timelines, responsibilities of FOI officers, exemptions, limitations, appeals, oversight mechanisms, and sanctions.
The DBM and PCO plan to incorporate feedback from these discussions to enhance the FOI Bill draft, which will be presented at the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting on May 26, 2025. The Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), chaired by DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, engaged with national government agencies and civil society organizations at the DBM Central Office on April 14 and April 22, respectively.
Meetings with the academic sector took place at De La Salle University on April 24, while consultations with the private sector and business groups occurred at the Makati Business Club on May 6. This initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s emphasis on citizen participation in governance, requiring access to information institutionalized through legislation.
Pangandaman stressed the importance of dialogue with partners, transparency advocates, and FOI champions to ensure stakeholder collaboration in making the FOI Bill a legislative priority. PH-OGP acting Director Jose Miguel Solis highlighted proposed features for the 20th Congress, including comprehensive scope for all government branches, mandatory budget information disclosure, compliance periods based on information complexity, internal review mechanisms, and educational integration.
Currently, 156,691 standard paper-based requests and 245,778 eFOI requests have been filed, as reported by the PCO's FOI Project Management Office. Although a national FOI law remains pending, 88 local government units have enacted their own FOI ordinances, showcasing growing commitment to transparency at the local level.
The PCO equips FOI implementers through initiatives like an Online Consultation System, FOI Bootcamp, and a Certificate Course for Information Officers. Additionally, it runs programs such as the Training of Trainers, Transparency Roadshow, and FOI Campus Caravan to empower the public.