Freedom of Information
Background of the Study
The People’s Freedom of Information Act of 2013 was defined as an important piece of legislation to promote transparency in the government 's administrative process. With this act, Filipino citizens are empowered to make a formal request to get information which is held by the government, barring certain sensitive and important data related to the nation 's security. In some countries, this law also states that the government is duty-bound to publish information in the spirit of openness and transparency. Every person who is a Filipino citizen has a right to and shall, on request, be given access to any record under the control of a government agency. Government agencies shall make available to the public for scrutiny, copying and reproduction in the manner provided by this Act, all information pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as government research data used as a basis for policy development. Under this act the State will recognizes the right of the people to information on matters of public concern, and adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest, subject to the procedures and limitations .This right is indispensable to the exercise of the right of the people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making.
Advantages and disadvantages of this act were enumerated. Some advantages were as follows: (a) the people will be able to gather in depth and accurate information about story they might not know, (b) if a development or change is being planned people will find out all of the information that are available, and (c) this act will led to a much more open society where people can feel confident that they know things aren’t being hidden. Main disadvantages is the threat to national security, which can be internal or external: (a) certain
The People’s Freedom of Information Act of 2013 was defined as an important piece of legislation to promote transparency in the government 's administrative process. With this act, Filipino citizens are empowered to make a formal request to get information which is held by the government, barring certain sensitive and important data related to the nation 's security. In some countries, this law also states that the government is duty-bound to publish information in the spirit of openness and transparency. Every person who is a Filipino citizen has a right to and shall, on request, be given access to any record under the control of a government agency. Government agencies shall make available to the public for scrutiny, copying and reproduction in the manner provided by this Act, all information pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as government research data used as a basis for policy development. Under this act the State will recognizes the right of the people to information on matters of public concern, and adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest, subject to the procedures and limitations .This right is indispensable to the exercise of the right of the people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making.
Advantages and disadvantages of this act were enumerated. Some advantages were as follows: (a) the people will be able to gather in depth and accurate information about story they might not know, (b) if a development or change is being planned people will find out all of the information that are available, and (c) this act will led to a much more open society where people can feel confident that they know things aren’t being hidden. Main disadvantages is the threat to national security, which can be internal or external: (a) certain
References: http://moiragallaga.hubpages.com/hub/Freedom-of-Information-Act-in-the-Philippines http://www.freedominfo.org/regions/east-asia/philippines/ http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2013/07/01/foi-bill-returns-congress-290140 http://www.opengovpartnership.org/sites/www.opengovpartnership.org/files/Aquino%20FOI%20Bill.pdf