Source: The Daily Tribune
President Aquino’s campaign on ‘Matuwid na Daan’ would only be a mere slogan bereft of firm basis if the government sees no urgent need to pass the Freedom on Information (FoI) bill.
This was the statement made by a unit of the influential Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) as it joined mounting calls for the 15th Congress to immediately pass the long-delayed FoI measure.
The National Secretariat for Social Action-Justice and Peace (NASSA), described as the social action and development arm of the CBCP, said the lack of access to information “systematically subjects our concerned sectors – farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, workers and rural and urban poor, particularly the Basic Ecclesial communities – to exploitation and manipulation by bad elements in the society.”
NASSA also called on the President to exert more influence on his partymates in Congress to ensure the immediate passage of the measure.
President Aquino had announced his support for the FoI measure as early as January this year.
However, Congress leaders claim that the President has not given any clear signals to his partymates in Congress to fast-track the bill.
The bill was also not mentioned during the President’s State of the Nation Address in July.
“In the spirit of truth and justice, CBCP-NASSA calls upon President Benigno Aquino III to immediately certify the FOI bill as a priority, and urge all the members of the House of Representatives, especially his party members, to support the passage of the FoI,” the NASSA said in a statement released to the media.
“Unless the President sees the urgent need to pass the FOI bill, his campaign (for a straight path of governance) is only a slogan, and has no firm basis.”
In the NASSA statement, signed by national director Bishop Broderick Pabillo, the group wondered why the FoI measure has not been passed despite 14 years of lobbying by civil society and media organizations.
In addition, Pabillo wondered why President Aquino has not certified the FoI as one of his urgent measures “when the President demands transparency and accountability in his effort to eliminate corruption in his government.”
“Why has the Congress not called committee hearings on the FoI?” the NASSA statement asked.
“Why is Malacanang not following-up the calling of hearings if there is nothing to fear about the legislation?”
Meanwhile, Malacanang hopes that both Houses of Congress would soon approve the bill to give the public easier access to government information.
Valte said the Palace hopes that discussions go well when lawmakers meet this October to tackle the bill.
She said it is a good development that the congressional committee will be hearing again the FoI Bill.
Rep. Erin Tanada, the author of the FoI Bill in the House, and Senate committee chair Sen. Gregorio Honasan have essentially adopted the draft coming from the Palace.
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