President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the Freedom of Information (FOI) order for implementation, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar announced at a press conference in Davao City on Sunday.
The Executive Order, entitled “Operationalizing the Executive Branch the People’s Constitutional Right to Information and the State Policies of Full Public Disclosure and Transparency in the Public Service and Providing Guidelines Thereof,” is a campaign promise of then presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte to promote transparency in the government.
The Freedom of Information order outlines: “Every Filipino shall have access to information, official records, public records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for public document.”
Secretary Andanar added, “Access to information shall be denied when the information falls under any of the exemptions enshrined in the Constitution, existing laws, or jurisprudence.” He said that aside from government agencies in the executive branch, state universities are also covered by the order.
