Sen. Grace Poe . FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe on Monday said the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill would promote greater transparency in government to curb corruption.
“I believe that transparency is the solution to our problem on corruption. The FOI Act will promote greater transparency in government,” Poe said during the 23rd foundation day of the Philippine National Police (PNP) at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
The senator said transparency would be achieved by applying the “sunshine principle.”
“If you don’t expose something to sunlight, microbs and germs will thrive,” she said.
Government transaction, according to her, should be made open to the public.
Poe said she is optimistic that the FOI bill will be passed despite Malacañang’s refusal to certify the measure as urgent.
She said the bill would pass even without the certification from President Benigno Aquino III as long as there is public support and vigilance.
She said her colleagues in the Senate have affirmed their support to the bill citing that only members of the House of Representatives harbored apprehensions on the passage of the bill.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, however, promised to pass the bill before his term of office ends, the senator said.
She said many legislators were apprehensive on its passage because “a lot of things will be exposed.”
“Even if there is FOI, there are information that we need to be careful, especially if it involves national security and if there is an ongoing investigation of a criminal activity,” she said.
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