Solons back Speaker Belmontes endorsement of FOI Bills passage

Lawmakers today expressed support for the pitch made by Speaker Feliciano
Belmonte, Jr. for the House to include in its priorities in the Second Reular Session the
passae of the Freedom of !nformation "F#!$ Bill to promote transparency and strenthen
accountability in the o%ernment.
!n his speech at the openin of the Second Reular Session on &uesday, the Speaker
said the pendin F#! proposals in 'onress embody the spirit of Section (, )rticle !!! of
the 'onstitution which reconi*es the riht of the people to information on matters of
public concern.
+,e must craft a %iable F#! Law to promote reater transparency and strenthen
accountability in o%ernment, without unduly restrictin the latitude of options for
o%ernment action in the deli%ery of ser%ices to the public and in respondin
expeditiously to the needs of our people,- he said.
.eputy Speaker /ioridi )abao said with the Speaker makin a special pitch,
there is a bi chance the F#! bill will pass this session.
+&he only kink ! see would be the busy schedule of 'onress. &he budet hearin
plus the impeachment complaints would surely occupy a ood part of our time,- said
)abao, representati%e of the Fourth .istrict of !sabela.
Rep. #scar Rodriue*, "0
rd
.istrict, 1ampana$, chairman of the 'ommittee on
/ood /o%ernment and 1ublic )ccountability, also welcomed the Speaker2s commitment
to prioriti*e the F#! bill. Rodriue* said he was the first one to file the first F#! bill in the
3iht 'onress because of his experience with the military then.
+!t is nice to hear the Speaker pitchin for support for the F#! bill. !f ! remember it
riht, ! was the first one to file the oriinal bill in the 3iht 'onress because of my
experience with the military then. Because of so4called raw intellience report which they
later on made it appear a %alidated report, the same was made as a political propaanda,
includin my detention, and was not i%en access5opportunity to see d so4called document
and confront the accusers "the military at that time$,- said Rodriue*.
Rep. Jonathan .ela 'ru* "1arty4list, )bakada$, a member of the independent
minority bloc, said it is about time the F#! bill is enacted into law as pushed by the
Speaker.
+&he F#! is one law which should be passed a lon time ao and should ha%e been
one priorities under this administration of Daang Matuwid,- said .ela 'ru*.
NR # 3543
JULY 30, 2014
Rep. /us &ambuntin "6
nd
.istrict, 1ara7a8ue 'ity$, author of one of the F#! bills,
House Bill 099: seekin to strenthen the people2s riht to information, lauded the
Speaker for his firm commitment to pass the F#! law durin the ;<
th
'onress.
+! thank the Speaker for his support for the F#! Bill in his openin speech. )s a
ma=or proponent of this bill, ! really hope we can make this a law before the end of the
year,- said &ambuntin.
&ambuntin said public officials as public ser%ants are endowed with power but
ha%e the responsibility to be accountable at all times to the people whom they owe their
%ery own title and position.
Rep. Samuel 1adilao "1arty4list, )'&4'!S$ said the Speaker made the riht step of
endorsin the timely appro%al of the rele%ant and important F#! bill.
+! will support the F#! Bill to promote transparency and accountability in
o%ernment,- said 1adilao, a %ice chairman of the 'ommittee on 1ublic #rder and
Security.
Rep. 3strellita Suansin ";
st
.istrict, >ue%a 3ci=a$, a %ice chairman of the
'ommittee on ,omen and ender 38uality, also backed the Speaker2s endorsement of the
F#! measure.
+! belie%e that the passae of the F#! Bill will help brin back public trust to the
o%ernment. &he F#! Bill promotes transparency and strenthens accountability. &hus, the
Speaker has my support for the F#! Bill,- said Suansin. "09$ rbb