Freedom of Information is a Must – Legarda

After the Philippine Senate passed on second reading Senate Bill 3208, or the People’s Ownership of Government Information (POGI) Act of 2012, Senator Loren Legarda reiterated that freedom of information is a must, especially in matters concerning the government.

Legarda, co-sponsor of the measure, explained that the various controversies in the past decade have left Filipino citizens doubting the capability of the government to do its mandate of serving the best interest of the people.

“Under this proposed measure, we aim to feed our people with information about us, the leaders they elected into office, and the businesses our offices deal with. All government agencies will be mandated to disclose information on public interest transactions, documents or records,” she said.

The Senator also said that the compulsory disclosure shall be done by posting the aforementioned documents on government websites for easy access, aside from providing these documents upon a person's request. Furthermore, vital information will be translated into major Filipino languages and made easier to comprehend.

“While the present administration is undertaking efforts to elevate the citizens' trust and confidence in the government, we must give the people something that they can hold on to that would ensure that honesty, transparency and accountability will always be upheld,” Legarda concluded.