FOI not urgent but gov’t transparent anyway—Aquino

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday reiterated his stance that he could not certify as urgent the Freedom of Information bill.

“Pero nasa Saligang-Batas kasi kailan ka puwedeng mag-certify na urgent; kailangan may emergency,” Aquino said during an interview with Bombo Radyo.

(The condition allowing a bill to be certified as urgent is in the Constitution; there should be an emergency.)

He explained that he was able to certify as urgent the Reproductive Health Bill because of the pressing problem of population growth.

“In one generation dumoble na ho tayo ng populasyon (In one generation our population doubled),” he pointed out. This meant having to address the need for more food, jobs, education and health services.

Meanwhile the Sin Tax law also created an emergency because the taxes being paid by cigarette and alcohol companies were not enough to cover government services that addressed illnesses caused by their products.

“Paniwala natin ‘dun sa Sin Tax at saka ‘dun sa RH Law, talagang may emergency,” Aquino said.

(We believe that with the Sin Tax and the RH Law there really is an emergency.)

Ngayon pagdating naman ho sa FOI, meron ho ba kaming itinago sa inyong impormasyon or to anybody? Hindi ba kami napaka-transparent,” he asked.

(Now when it comes to the FOI, did we ever hide information from you or from anybody? Aren’t we transparent?)

He said it was the reason they implemented reforms including the “bottom-up budgeting,” which allows the government to become more transparent when it comes to the allocation of funds.

Aquino said he has even been told by other media practitioners that the FOI was not needed by a diligent reporter.

“Ulitin ko, ano: Ano bang tinago namin? Ano ba ‘yung ‘di namin [nai-share] Parati hong sinasagot sa akin, ‘Hindi naman para sa inyo e, para sa susunod sa inyo,’” he added.

(Let me repeat: What are we hiding? What are we not sharing? They also reply, ‘It’s not for you, it’s for the next administration.’)

Aquino pointed out that those pushing for the law should call on Congress instead.

“So kung may isyu, baka dapat sa Kongreso kayo magpunta, hindi ho sa amin dahil ‘yung aming ibinigay na sa kanila ay kayang-kaya na namin pong isabuhay ‘yon kung isasabatas nila,” he said.

(If there’s an issue, perhaps you should go to Congress, not us because the FOI version we gave them is something we can implement if only they will pass it into law.)

The FOI bill has been stalled in the House of Representatives since its first version was filed during the 12th Congress.

During his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona), Aquino did not mention the FOI amid clamor from media and civil society groups. Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said it was because Aquino already said, during the Daylight Dialogue in July, that the FOI will become a law before he steps down in 2016.

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