House OKs freedom of information bill on final reading

MANILA, Philippines—The House of Representatives approved on final reading a bill guaranteeing the right to access information on Tuesday, putting the measure on track to becoming a law amid pressure to boost state transparency following a multibillion-peso graft scandal.

Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved House Bill No. 9397 after securing 284 votes, advancing it to bicameral talks to reconcile differences in the Senate and House’s versions of the freedom of information (FOI) measure.

None voted against it or abstained. 

READ: House upholds ‘right to info’ measure ahead of bicam

“We could have stopped the massive corruption hiding behind substandard flood control projects and unchecked confidential funds if Congress had armed our citizens with a real right to information sooner,” Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao told the floor.

“This state secrecy has allowed these anomalies to fester in the dark while previous versions of this bill gathered dust,” she said. “Today, we finally break that cycle of delay.”

The right to information, meant to ease access to public documents, is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution, but efforts to enforce it have repeatedly faltered in Congress and has eluded five administrations over the past decades. 

The bill, a priority of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s administration, seeks to establish an independent right to information commission that will enforce state transparency and oversee the implementation of information‑sharing to the public. 

Under that measure, all government agencies are mandated to “proactively publish key information of public interest” through websites and other official platforms.

The House’s FOI proposal also covers all branches of the government, including constitutional and oversight offices, local government units, state universities, government-owned or controlled corporations and other state-owned instrumentalities.

Requests for information under the bill could be filed directly with the agency or through an online portal managed by the independent commission, with applicants not required to provide any justification for their requests.

“Transparency is not merely a policy objective,” Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III said in a statement after the vote.

“It is a fundamental pillar of public trust. When government information is accessible, citizens are better equipped to make informed decisions and actively participate in nation-building,” he noted.

Agencies will be required to respond to all requests “as soon as practicable,” with timelines of three working days for simple queries, seven working days for complex ones, and up to 20 days for technical requests.

Information requests involving an “imminent threat to life, liberty, public safety, public health or the environment” must be addressed within two days, under the bill. 

Exemptions to public disclosure include information whose release may undermine national security, weaken the government’s position in international affairs, compromise law enforcement investigations, records gathered during congressional executive sessions and draft market regulatory documents, among others, according to the proposal.

“The determination of whether any of these grounds apply shall be the responsibility of the head of office of the government agency or instrumentality in custody or control of the information,” the bill said.

Analysts said the bill can be a “game changer” for Philippine governance as it provides broader transparency in a graft‑ridden country where accountability has long been elusive.

“An FOI law could be powershifting as it gives the citizens the power of information,” Joy Aceron, convener-director of transparency watchdog G-Watch, said.

“It introduces a regime of openness in the bureaucracy, affirming that public office is public trust,” she added.

The Philippines ranked 120th out of 182 countries in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index by watchdog Transparency International, scoring 32 out of 100.

A lower score reflects higher perceived levels of corruption.

She said the bill’s provisions provide the necessary cover for effective implementation, taking note of its proactive disclosure mechanism the commission tasked to oversee it.

“These are core features that could make this version work,” she said.

Patrick Acupan, convener of the FOI Youth Initiative, said the effectiveness of an FOI regime depends on the culture and habits of institutions, and that such will take time to build.

“Building a culture of transparency starts with practice such as familiarizing personnel with disclosure policies, developing institutional habits, and strengthening capacity over time,” he said.

“Half the work is already done because the information already exists,” he added. “What remains is the willingness and capacity to disclose it to citizens.” /apl

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