Poe urges millennials to push for passage of FOI bill

Sen. Grace Poe (File photo LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Sen. Grace Poe called on millennials on Saturday to push for the passage of the freedom of information (FOI) bill to inspire change and empower their sector.

“Tell your congressmen and senators that we need to pass laws like the FOI bill. And when this bill becomes a law, use it to empower your sector,” Poe said during Unilab Foundation‘s National Youth Forum on Public Health in Pasig City in celebration of the International Youth Day.

“Legislators and the youth can work hand in hand to effectively address concerns and issues. But you need to organize yourselves and let your voices be heard,” she added.

The FOI bill, of which Poe is a sponsor, is pending second reading at the Senate.

Poe said the youth could be effective drivers in shaping the future of the country and could revolutionize their talents with the help of technology.

And since millennials have made the Internet their “home” and social media their “lifeblood,” Poe emphasized that they can use their can use their curiosity and skills to tap these as tools to promote the interest of the community.

With the recent passage of Republic Act No. 10929 or the Free WiFi in Public Places Act, the senator said, millennials can have easier access to several web platforms to bring about change.

Quoting a 2016 report by the World Bank, Poe said that the millennial generation constitutes the biggest population demographic in the country today, with ages 15 to 30 years old comprise 28.5 million the Philippine population.

“Given these numbers, the youth can certainly be a force to reckon with,” she added. /atm