Congressional aspirant “to resurrect” FOI bill

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City North District independent congressional candidate Junex Doronio has vowed to resurrect if elected into the 16th Congress the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill which seeks to promote transparency in government transactions and data.

Doronio, a columnist, lamented that in contrast to the Senate, the House of Representatives deliberately “killed” the FOI bill while President Aquino seemed to be doing a Pontius Pilate when he did not certify the measure as urgent.

“Without an FOI law, all this talk of ‘daang matuwid’ is just plain hypocrisy,” Doronio said in a press statement sent to The FREEMAN.

He added that with an FOI law, the public will be able to scrutinize the disbursement of government funds, including the priority development assistance fund commonly known as “pork barrel” given to lawmakers.

Doronio said it would allow public access to government dealings and documents in line with a policy of full disclosure subsequently promoting transparency and accountability in government.

Doronio added that the National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC), Alab ng Mamamahayag (ALAM), and the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) have strongly opposed the right-of-reply provision, arguing that balanced reporting is already “intrinsic” to the Philippine press.

Doronio, ALAM Region 7 president, once served as NPC director for two terms and as secretary for two terms. He was also president of the Journal Employees Union.  (FREEMAN)