Representatives from student groups and the academe, law groups and non-government organizations also delivered solidarity messages in support of the FOI bill ahead of President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28.
“We need a law that will give life to the right of citizens to request and be given access to government information beyond what government chooses to disclose proactively,” the petition reads.
The Cebu signing of the FOI bill petition was organized by the Right to Know Right, Right Now! coalition of NGOs, who said the challenge now is to mobilize support among lawmakers to shepherd the bill from Congress to the Palace.
The Senate already passed its version of the FOI bill on third reading last March 10 and is now waiting its counterpart version from the Lower House whose technical working group is deliberating on various versions of the measure.
Resolution
The coalition launched an online petition for the FOI which can be signed through www. change.org/TayoNaParaSaFOI. Petitions can also be sent via text by typing <I support the People’s FOI!> <Full Name> <Age> <City> and send it to 0939-812-8317.
Lawyer-broadcaster Rose Versoza, who represents the Cebu Media Legal Aid (Cemla), said the struggle to pass the FOI bill isn’t just confined to the media but involves the public as well.
“We in the media, we are getting information not for our own consumption but we pass it on to our public,” said Versoza, co-anchor of GMA 7’s Balitang Bisdak and a representative of the Cebu Citizens Press Council (CCPC).
She said the CCPC passed a resolution two years ago urging Congress to pass the FOI bill.
She said while the right to access of information is enshrined in the Constitution, government agencies restrict the flow of information to the public.
Versoza said there’s also no uniform procedure of releasing information to the public.
“Different government agencies react to requests for public information differently. Some give, some don’t. The discretion to release information is either personality-based or issue-based. It depends on the people asking it and if the issue will give them a favorable impression to the public.
If it doesn’t, they don’t,” Versoza said.
She also said there is no swift legal remedy and penalties for violators.
Youth representatives like the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines-Cebu chapter also gave their support for the cause.