PNoy accused of double talk on FOI bill

An umbrella network of media and civil society organizations pushing for transparency in government on Friday accused President Benigno Aquino III of double-talk on the freedom of information policy. The Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition said Aquino is expected to talk about transparency, accountability and participation initiatives of his administration during his official visit to the United States next week but there is no assurance yet of the passage of the FOI bill. "More than 14 months into his term, President Aquino has not mustered the political will to honor his campaign pact with the people to assure the passage of the FOI act, the legislation the country needs to provide substantive, procedural, and institutional guarantee to the people’s constitutional right to information," the group said. Among the members of the Right to Know, Right Now! coalition are Institute for Freedom of Information; Transparency and Accountability Network; Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace; Center for Community Journalism and Development; National Union of Journalists of the Philippines; Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication; Public Services Labor Independent Confederation; Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility; Social Watch Philippines. But Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that the Aquino administration has been transparent in all its dealings with the public. “We are, by so far, the most transparent administration. We are exercising transparency," he told GMA News Online over the phone. He further said that Brazil, one of the government members of the OGP steering committee, does not have an FOI law. “But similar to us, their Constitution provides access to information," Lacierda said. At present, Malacañang is still in the process of drafting an FOI bill. Keynote speech Aquino will be delivering a keynote speech at the Open Government Partnership forum dubbed "The Power of Open: A Global Discussion" in New York on September 20. The conference will bring together governments and representatives of civil society, industry, academe and media which will discuss the role of openness in improving government responsiveness and accountability. Aquino will also be joining high-level representatives of countries that will comprise the government members of the OGP steering committee. The Philippines, together with US, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, South Africa and United Kingdom will officially launch the OGP by signing a declaration of principles and by submitting their respective country action plans for greater openness. Draft action plan The Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition said Aquino’s draft action plan for OGP mentioned FOI in only one paragraph which stated that the government will strive for the passage of the FOI within the current presidency. Pending the passage of the law, the Aquino administration will develop and issue an executive-wide policy to improve access to information within 360 days, according to the draft action plan. "We do not find comfort in the draft’s promise of an executive-wide policy… it will be limited in coverage and application only to the executive agencies, thereby exempting the judiciary and legislature, as well as independent constitutional bodies," the group said. The group also said the "piecemeal and uneven transparency efforts will not institutionalize public access to information the way passage of the FOI would." It further said the Philippine Action Plan for OGP needs to express full, firm and explicit commitment to the immediate passage of the FOI law in the present Congress. The coalition said the President needs to provide a definite list of his concerns and for the executive to draw up its proposed amendments and to present them to Congress within the remaining months of 2011 for consultation and action. "Failing in this, we call a spade a spade: double talk is the Aquino government’s FOI policy," the group said. — RSJ/LBG, GMA News