THE United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) was disappointed after President Benigno Aquino III failed to push for the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill in his last State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday.
UNA President and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco said Aquino should have fought for the passage of the FOI since it was one of his campaign platforms in 2010.
“Yun nga ang nagulat ako kasi yun talaga gusto natin, ang FOI. Hindi ko alam bakit hindi nabanggit at kasama doon prayoridad,” Tiangco said.
Opposition Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito also found lacking the speech of Aquino.
Ejercito said the President should have mentioned the FOI bill in his Sona.
“I feel that medyo kulang e. Sana tinuloy niya yung pag-endorso sa FOI, which would have been the best instrument in achieving true and genuine reforms,” the senator said.
But Ejercito credited the Aquino administration for it’s good governance.
“The image of the country has improved immensely because of the reform agenda and the trust of good governance of the Aquino administration,” he said.
While the government did well in governance, it failed on infrastructure programs, he said.
But Tiangco said the government should have been more consistent.
“While they take credit for their gains for the last five years, they should also take responsibility for their lackings,” he said.