LAST February 2 and 3, the last two days before Congress adjourned for the elections, the House of Representatives failed to take up the ratification of the Bicameral Conference Committee Report on the Freedom of Information Act.

The members of the House of Speaker Prospero Nograles were caught up in conflicts largely partisan and personal, that they could not bother with important and urgent public-interest legislation. Repeatedly, the rival camps questioned the presence of a quorum on both days.

In the end, the ratification of the Freedom of Information Act fell by the wayside, collateral casualty to the little wars of the honorable members of the House.

CSO Collective Statement urging Congress to ratify Bicam Report on Freedom of Info Bill

After long struggle, the passage of the Freedom of Information Act is finally near at hand.

At the resumption of session last Monday (18 January), we marched to the House of Representatives with a rally contingent of 1000 to call on our House of Representatives to stand for Freedom of Information. With Committee on Public Information Chairman Bienvenido Abante, Jr., Vice Chairman Eduardo Zialcita, Committee TWG Chairman Lorenzo "Erin" Tañada III, and Minority member Rufus Rodriguez, we met with Speaker Prospero Nograles to appeal for the immediate constitution of the House Panel to the Bicameral Conference Committee on the Freedom of Information Act.

17 December 2009

HON. PROSPERO C. NOGRALES

Speaker

Thru:  HON. ARTHUR D. DEFENSOR

Majority Leader

Dear Mr. Speaker:

We are happy to report that the Senate has approved on Third Reading Senate Bill No. 3308 otherwise known as the "Freedom of Information Act" or what is listed among the Speaker's Legislative Reform Agenda for the House of the People under Political and Governance Reforms, "Access to Public Information."

As principal authors of its counterpart measure House Bill No. 3732, and, working closely on this  bill,   we move for the full adoption by the House of  Senate Bill No. 3308.

SB No. 3308 is as much a House version as it is a Senate version.  We were informed by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information that their committee adopted HB No. 3732 as starting point for their work.  The result is a Senate version that does not depart much from our version and remains faithful to our frame of introducing the much needed implementing details for full government transparency, subject only to a narrow regime of reasonable limitations.

Indeed, its enactment into law would be the 14^th Congress' critical contribution to a dynamic democracy, ensuring informed participation by its citizenry.  Let this Congress be truly a House of the People.

Very truly yours,

REP. LORENZO R. TAÑADA III                            REP. EMMANUEL JOEL J. VILLANUEVA

For the Majority                                              For the Minority

Chair, TWG, HB 3732

COUNTRY AWAITS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW.

On 12 May 2008, the House of Representatives passed on third reading House Bill 3732, or the Freedom of Information Act. On 14 December 2009, the Senate completed its action on the measure with the passage on third reading of Senate Bill 3308. After close to 23 years since the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, Congress is finally close to addressing the lack of legislation that has allowed the routine violation by government agencies of the people's right to information.

We, representatives of over 100 organizations and coalitions comprising public-interest groups, environmental protection advocates, independent media groups, print and broadcast journalists, farmers organizations and support groups, women's organizations, private and public sector labor unions, migrant workers, businessmen, academic institutions, and student and youth organizations, await with anticipation the day when the Freedom of Information Act finally becomes law.

We fully support the recommendation made by Representatives Erin Tañada and Joel Villanueva for a full adoption by the House of Representatives of S. No. 3308. We share their evaluation that S. No. 3308 is as much a House version as it is a Senate version. Having actively participated in the House and Senate legislative processes on the measure, we confirm their observation that the Senate Committee on Public Information chaired by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano adopted H. No. 3732 as starting point for their work. The amendments introduced by the Senate only address remaining legitimate concerns raised by stakeholders and by Senators.

When passed into law, the Freedom of Information Act will provide the much needed substantive and procedural details that will make fully operational the Constitutional right of the people to information and the state policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest.