Information bill's fate depends on legislative process, says lawmaker

Thursday, August 18, 2011

MANILA – A House leader said Thursday the fate of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, which seeks to give public access to government records, depends on the legislative process and not on Malacañang's endorsement of the measure.

"The legislature is an independent branch of government and will pass all needed measures, not just the 13 bills listed among the priority measures of President (Benigno) Aquino,” said House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo "Erin" Tañada III.

Tañada, author of the FOI bill, admitted he felt sad last Tuesday, his 48th birthday, after Aquino continued to defer action on the FOI following the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) meeting at Malacañang during which the President had sought action for his priority measures.

The House leader disagreed with the published statement of Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone, chairman of the committee on public information, that without the President's endorsement, the FOI bill will not spark interest among lawmakers.

He said the fate of FOI’s passage is not in the hands of the President but in Congress. "Right now I even want the FOI to go through the normal legislative process in Congress," Tañada said. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)