Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. (Presidential Photo)
MANILA, Philippines–The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) has recognized several government agencies for achieving a 99 percent outstanding performance rate on the electronic freedom of information portal (eFOI) in 2019.
Among these were the National Telecommunications Commission, Metro Manila Development Authority, Bureau of Customs, Department of Foreign Affairs, National Housing Authority, Malacañang Records Office, Philippine Statistics Authority, National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, Housing and Land Use Bureau, the Department of Justice and the Department of Labor and Employment.
“Proliferation of false news corrupts state-people relations, and delays if not obliterates development, while dissemination of accurate information empowers the people, connects them to the government through the rebuilding of trust, which, in turn, inspires progress,” PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement released Saturday.
The recognition was given during the 2019 FOI Awards held on December 12 by PCOO, the agency overseeing the implementation and operationalization of the FOI Program.
In its FOI Memorandum Circular 02 s. 2019, the PCOO specified three major criteria for the award, namely timeliness, efficiency, and quality.
The FOI Awards was established in 2017 “to recognize the efforts of government agencies, individuals, and organizations that contributed to the development and progress of the FOI program.”
It followed the signing of Executive Order No. 2, s. 2016, or the FOI Executive Order, which mandates public disclosure of documents and state transactions involving public interests.