Bill on right to access of information OK

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives has approved on third reading a bill seeking to strengthen the constitutional right to information, particularly on matters of public concern.

Speaker Prospero Nograles said House Bill 3732, “An Act Implementing the Right of Access to Information on Matters of Public Concern,” provides the legal mechanism for the public to obtain information from agencies in the executive, legislative, judicial branches of government.

“The people’s right to know is sacred,” he said. “We just passed the enabling legislation giving life to the constitutionally mandated right of access to information which also promotes people empowerment.”

The bill’s main proponents are Manila Rep. Bienvenido M. Abante, Jr. and Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III.

HB 3732 also aims to cover local governments, government owned and controlled corporations, government financial institutions, constitutional commissions and other offices created by the Constitution.

In a statement, Nograles expressed confidence that the bill will be “among the priorities of the Senate because we all believe in the principle that the constitutional powers of government emanates from the people.”

Abante and Tañada said the bill will ease the public’s burden in obtaining information from government offices.

“It will compel all government offices to comply with the requests for information,” they said.

HB 3732 also seeks to provide criminal and administrative penalties for violation of the law, Abante said.

As proposed in the bill, requesting parties shall make the request in writing with the exact information needed and the reason for the request.

The government office concerned shall grant or deny the request within 10 calendar days from the receipt.

Abante said the following will be exempted from the coverage of the law:

• Those declared by the President as classified information,

• Information on internal and external defenses and law enforcement purposes,

• Information obtained by Congress in an executive session, and

• Information on medical and personal records which could constitute invasion of privacy, and

• Information pertaining to on-going treaty negotiations.

Among the other major proponents and authors of the consolidated bill are:  Deputy Speaker Raul del Mar, Reps. Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Del de Guzman, Joel Villanueva, Teodulo M. Coquilla, Cinchona Cruz-Gonzales, Joseph Emilio Abaya, Orlando Fua, Marcelino Teodoro, Edgar Chatto, Liza Maza, Crispin Beltran, Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño,  Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza, Ernesto Pablo, Aurelio Gonzales and Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel. – Delon Porcalla