IN THIS increasingly globalized world, press freedom is an integral part of nation building. Silencing the press is killing our right to speak freely and voice out our concerns.
In the age of fake news, the press must now, more than ever, remain steadfast in their commitment to expose the truth and fight for what is right. But how?
Through freedom of information (FOI), Filipinos will know the real state of the nation. It was therefore most welcome that before delivering his first State of the Nation Address in 2016, President Duterte issued an executive order on Freedom of Information. Sadly, Congress appears not keen on passing a law Freedom of Information. A law on this would have institutionalized the people’s constitutional right to know the goings-on in government. After all, transparency is a basic ingredient of good governance. It would have strengthened press freedom, too.
Time and again, societies have seen how press freedom plays a critical role in upholding democratic ideals of a country—it exposes abuses, holds government and leaders accountable for their actions, and protects human rights.
We again call for the passage of a law on Freedom of Information. Public service is a public trust. A strong FOI law is one of the keys towards truth and accountability that the press espouses. Transparency on the nation’s treasury, transactions and agreement are elements of democracy that people must be enjoying. That is the essence of freedom information and free freedom.
We must uphold and continue to press for truth and accountability. The truth must always prevail and shall not be cloaked. The alternative to the absence of an FOI law is misinformation and disinformation, and we cannot afford that.
