BUENAVISTA, Guimaras – The provincial government here has commenced the process of crafting their local Freedom of Information (FOI) ordinance, according to Gov. Samuel Gumarin.
He announced it during the 2020 Transparency Caravan in the province spearheaded by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) at the Guimaras State College on Feb. 13.
“This is pursuant to Executive Order No. 2, series of 2016, and the PCOO and DILG Joint Memorandum Circular 2018-01,” he said, adding that this is in pursuit of upholding transparency and good governance.
The governor added that the Committee on Rules and Ordinances of the 9th Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Guimaras has already conducted the first public hearing for the local FOI ordinance.
“Information is the currency of democracy and access to information is the right of every Filipino,” he said.
“Transparency is the hallmark of an open
government where public can access information and every government
proceeding,” he added.
The top local chief executive of the island announced that the provincial
government is one with the thrust of President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan for an open
government.
Finally, he revealed that the province has already created the Guimaras Information Network, which is the lead team that operationalizes the localization of FOI, as mandated in Executive order No. 62, series of 2019.
For his part, Atty. Tristan De Guzman,
chief of policy, planning and support division of the PCOO FOI Program, lauded
the initiative of the provincial government in crafting their local FOI
ordinance.
He also urged other local government units to pass their respective FOI
ordinances in order to institutionalize in their respective jurisdictions the
directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to give the people the right to access
public records and information.(With a
report from PIA/PN)
