Senate approves FOI bill on 2nd reading

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Senate on Tuesday night approved on second reading a bill that would give every Filipino access to all government information.

Only Senate Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, who was presiding over the session, and Senators Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Edgardo Angara were present on the floor when Senate Bill 3208,  or “An Act Fortifying the People’s Right of Ownership over Information Held by the People’s Government,” was passed by the chamber Tuesday night.

Honasan, chairman of the Senate committee on public information, said he moved for the approval of the measure, more popularly known as the the FOI [Freedom of Information] bill, and that no one objected.

The bill, he said, might be approved on third and final reading on Monday or Tuesday next week.

“I hope that the lower house will also pass its own version of the bill,” Honasan said over the phone.