CEBU CITY -- Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Friday, September 23, that the National Government will roll out the e-FOI or the online version of the Freedom of Information (FOI) executive order on November 25.
Andar was in Cebu Friday as keynote speaker on the “FOI and the Media” forum, which was held as part of the celebration of the 22nd Cebu Press Freedom Week.
The Cebu Press Freedom Week opened on Sunday, September 18.
President Rodrigo Duterte has issued Executive Order (EO) 2, which covers the FOI in the executive department.
An FOI bill is pending in the House of Representatives and if it is enacted into law, it will cover all the branches of the government from the executive, legislative and judiciary.
Andanar said the 166 exceptions to the FOI proposed by the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice are still being discussed.
The government will be proactive and published online through the e-FOI documents, which are not classified or does not contain sensitive information.
These will prevent the agencies under the executive department from being saddled with numerous requests for information under EO 2.
While in Cebu, Andanar also visited the offices under the Presidential Communications Operations Office, including the Philippine Information Agency, Radyo ng Bayan, and the Philippines News Agency. (PNA)