Freedom of Information Bill
Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Fifteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
House Bill No. __________
________________________________________________________________________
Introduced by
AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS
TO INFORMATION HELD BY THE GOVERNMENT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION. 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Freedom of Information
Act of 2012.”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State 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 provided by this Act. 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.
SECTION. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act:
(a) “Information” shall mean any record, document, paper, report, letters, contract, minutes and transcripts of official meetings, maps, books, photographs, data, research material, film, sound and video recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data, computer stored data, or any other like or similar data or material recorded, stored or archived in whatever form or format, which are made, received or kept in or under the control and custody of any government agency pursuant to law, executive order, rules and regulations, ordinance or in connection with the performance or transaction of official business by any government agency.
(b) “Government agency” shall include the executive, legislative and judicial branches as well as the constitutional bodies of the Republic of the Philippines including, but not limited to, the national government and all its agencies, departments,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Fifteenth Congress
Second Regular Session
House Bill No. __________
________________________________________________________________________
Introduced by
AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS
TO INFORMATION HELD BY THE GOVERNMENT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION. 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Freedom of Information
Act of 2012.”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State 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 provided by this Act. 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.
SECTION. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act:
(a) “Information” shall mean any record, document, paper, report, letters, contract, minutes and transcripts of official meetings, maps, books, photographs, data, research material, film, sound and video recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data, computer stored data, or any other like or similar data or material recorded, stored or archived in whatever form or format, which are made, received or kept in or under the control and custody of any government agency pursuant to law, executive order, rules and regulations, ordinance or in connection with the performance or transaction of official business by any government agency.
(b) “Government agency” shall include the executive, legislative and judicial branches as well as the constitutional bodies of the Republic of the Philippines including, but not limited to, the national government and all its agencies, departments,