House sets hearing for Freedom of Information bill next week

Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The hearing on the Freedom of Information Bill at the House of Representatives will be held next week, Representative Lorenzo Tañada III said Wednesday when asked about the status of the proposed measure’s progress.

“I am optimistic that FoI will pass the committee as long as the chairman has the courage to support the passage of the bill,” he said in a text message.

Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone, who chairs the committee on public information, insisted on scheduling the next hearing on the bill on November 13, initially saying that there was literally no conference room available for use in October.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. himself said that they would go with Evardone’s schedule.

Tañada said Evardone has placed the bill in the ICU by delaying its hearings but remained hopeful that the bill would be approved before they go on Christmas break.