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Passage of FoI bill a done deal – Rep. Tañada BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 07/08/2010

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Passage of FoI bill a done deal – Rep. Tañada



BLURBAL THRUSTS
Louie Logarta
07/08/2010
True to his word and to his credit, Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada has caused the re-filing of the controversial Freedom of Information Bill (FoI) which promotes transparency in government by guaranteeing the constitutional right to information and full disclosure of transactions of public interest.

The FoI measure — authored principally by Rep. Sonny Angara of Aurora, Rep. Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna party-list and Tañada — should have been approved by the House of Representatives, as previously agreed among the legislators, on the last session day of the Fourteenth Congress, thereby paving the way for its enactment into law; but this failed to materialize after someone questioned the quorum, which was indicative of the Arroyo government’s unwillingness to take meaningful steps in arriving at transparency and accountability.

The ratification was supposed to have been the final step prior to being sent to the Office of the President for the chief executive’s signature.

Speaking during the televised “Meet the Press” public affairs program of the National Press Club, Tañada had vowed to re-file the FoI in line with the commitment of President Benigno Aquino III to eliminate corruption and propel clean governance while he sits as the leader of the nation.

“For me… it’s a symbol of my commitment to a new era of accountability, good governance and real change. I also want it passed within the first year (having been in the works for nine long years) as I think it is an essential pillar to the new administration’s anti-corruption platform. It is important to send a message to the new Congress that this is of the highest priority. The public has a constitutional right to know, which it is now demanding. The public cannot be denied; it is the source of our mandate. Every time we go against it, we fail in our duty to represent the people,” he stressed.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100708com4.html


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