The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) duly welcomes the recommendation of the outgoing Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) to the incoming secretary of the agency to retain President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 2 or Freedom of Information (FOI) policy.
In an interview, acting Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Undersecretary Kris Ablan said that the Presidential Communications Group – which consists of agencies such as the Philippine Information Agency, Philippine News Agency, Radio Philippines Network, People’s Television Network, and the Bureau Communications Office among others – have already prepared their transition report for the incoming officials for endorsement. One initiative they wish the next administration will continue is the Freedom of Information program which acts as a transparency mechanism of the Executive branch.
The ‘right to information’, as enshrined in Section 7, Article III of our Constitution, states that citizens can have access to “official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development” on all subjects and issues of public concern.
Despite this Constitutional guarantee, there is a lack of enabling legislation to exercise this right. So the pronouncement made by President Duterte in 2016 was not only a clear recognition of this fundamental freedom, but also a promotion of an open and participatory government.
The Commission joins the PCOO in the endorsement of this policy to the next Administration. Freedom of information, as a demonstration of modern democracy, is imperative in the fulfillment of consonant rights – namely freedom of speech, of expression, and of the press.
CHR reminds our leaders that public trust is the cornerstone of our democracy.
We look forward to the continued crafting of measures that further government transparency. A push for this directly corresponds to countering corruption and advocating for public accountability.