Proponents of FOI bill agree on one version

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat PHOTO FROM CONGRESS.GOV.PH

MANILA, Philippines—Some of the authors of various versions of the freedom of information (FOI) bill in the House of Representatives have agreed to adopt just one version to speed up the process of producing a single consolidated measure, and to ensure that there will be fewer stumbling blocks to the bill’s passage.

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat said at least nine authors are amenable to adopting one version or template of the FOI bill, which is the version passed by the public information committee in the 15th Congress.

That committee-approved version, which died in the plenary, does not contain the controversial right-of-reply provision.

The consensus of the authors came ahead of the meeting of the public information committee’s technical working group, which has the task of consolidating the 19 or so versions of the FOI bill that have so far been filed.

No technical working group meeting has been scheduled so far. The group is headed by Misamis Occidental Rep. Jorge Almonte, who also chairs the public information committee.

“We need to do this because the chair hasn’t set a date to convene the technical working group although he has said he may be available after Nov. 10,” Baguilat said, following his meeting with the other FOI authors the other day.

With several authors already agreeing to one version, there will be fewer FOI bills to integrate, Baguilat said.

“So we’re easing the process so that by the time he convenes, most of the authors have already agreed on one version,” he said.

The authors who have agreed to adopt one version or template of the FOI bill, aside from Baguilat, are Akbayan party-list representatives Ibarra Gutierrez and Walden Bello, Dinagat Island Rep. Arlene Bag-ao, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo and Ang Nars party-list’s Leah Paquiz.

Also amenable to the proposal, though not present at the meeting of the FOI bill authors, are Marikina Rep. Marcelino Teodoro, Camarines Sur Rep. Leonor Robredo and Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting, said Baguilat.