‘Text brigade’ on to ensure quorum for FOI

Text messages are being sent and phone calls are being made to congressmen to ensure their attendance in Friday's session for the expected ratification of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, House Speaker Prospero Nograles said Thursday. At least 135 of the 268 lawmakers that compose the House of Representatives need to be present for the chamber to be able to ratify the bill, which has already been ratified by the Senate four months ago. Asked by reporters whether the House leadership can muster a quorum on Friday, Nograles said, "I think so, yes." "We are doing text brigades, we are calling them, we are reminding them to attend the last session all because we want the Freedom of Information bill to pass," he added. Once ratified by the House, the bill will be sent to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for signing. It will lapse into law if she does not sign it within the next 30 days after official transmission. Media, business, religious, and civil society groups have been strongly pushing for the immediate passage of the bill, which would enable even ordinary citizens to access many public documents. It also penalizes the denial of access to certain official records. [See: Time is running out for 14th Congress to pass FOI bill] Aside from the FOI bill, the House is also scheduled to ratify the bicameral conference committee reports on the Philippine Immigration Act of 2009 and the measure prohibiting and penalizing the pilferage and theft, unauthorized use, interconnection or reception of any signal or service offered over a cable television or cable internet system. The House is also set to adopt Friday the Senate version of bills on the Philippine Tax Academy, the Special Education Act, and the Anti Racial Discrimination Act. - Jam Sisante/KBK, GMANews.TV