Final draft of FOI executive order submitted to Duterte

THE FINAL draft of the executive order implementing the Freedom of Information (FOI) has already been handed to President Rodrigo Duterte for his scrutiny even as it is expected to be signed next week.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella yesterday said the order was still being finalized.

“It’s taking a bit of time to complete it, but I suppose next week may be a good time to expect the signing,” Abella said in a press briefing.

He said the “finer points” of the order were still being worked out but there were no sticking points.

The executive order on FOI is expected to make the government more transparent and give the people easier access to public records.

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar earlier said that with the order, the executive branch hopes to lead the way for transparency.

The FOI executive order was also a campaign promise of the President.

The order is expected to cover agencies under the executive branch.

Andanar had also said that the President would leave it up to Congress, an independent branch, if it would pass an FOI bill.

Legislation is needed for an all-encompassing freedom of information measure. But the bill for this has never made it past the House of Representatives, though the Senate had managed to approve its own version.