EXPLANATION OF VOTE OF SEN. GRACE POE,
FOR THE THIRD READING OF THE PEOPLE'S FOI

Mr. President,

Twenty one years and eight months ago today, the first Freedom of Information Act was first filed in Congress. The legislation authored by Representative Oscar Orbos in the House of Representatives and in the Senate by Senators Alberto Romulo, Raul Roco (+), Anna Dominique Coseteng, Francisco Tatad, Ernesto Hererra, was in honor of the landmark principle enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution that "Public office is a public trust." It was also in the same period that the citizens wanted to have access to information on public debts incurred by the country and data on the status of the land ownership of hacenderos and sakadas in the agrarian reform sector.

After seven (7) Congresses [from Ninth Congress of the Republic to the present Sixteenth Congress] and after it was filed forty-four times by different legislators, we now have in the table the Third Reading version of the Senate of the Philippines.

Today, the high significance of the People's Freedom of Information Act is reflected in the very situation as well as problems confronting the country at present. We simply need to pass the law. We simply need to be transparent and accountable. We simply need to honor that public service is serving with honesty and integrity. Ang pagsisilbi sa pamahalaan ay serbisyong tunay, paglilingkod na matapat, at pagkilos na marangal. . The People's FOI bill which I humbly submit for the approval of this chamber is the product of constant collaboration with my fellow Senators and their staff. Each interpellation and amendment, every piece of advice and every moment of thorough scrutiny was crucial in polishing this bill into something that the Filipino people can be proud of.

From government, I would like to thank the Office of the President (Secretaries Herminio Coloma and Manolo Quezon), the Civil Service Commission, the Department of Justice, the Department of National Defense, the National Security Council, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Philippine Communications Operations Office, the PIA, the DOST and DTI. From the Media, I would like to thank the representatives of Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas; the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc.; broadcast stations ABS-CBN, GMA 7, Interaksyon, Solar News; the National Press Club, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, Net 25, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, the Philippine Press Institute, and Rappler.

From civil society, I would like to thank the Right to Know, Right Now Coalition; Access to Information Network; the Center for People Empowerment in Governance; the Crusade Against Dynasty and Corruption; the Movement Against Dynasty; Philippine Transparency International; the NGO Alert and the Transparency and Accountability Network. Also, the individual bloggers and social netizens who helped shaped the People's FOI.

From the academe, I would like to thank the University of the Philippines' College of Mass Communication, the UP Department of Political Science, and the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Political Science.

Finally, from the private sector, I would like to thank Former Representative Lorenzo "Erin" Tanada III, Mr. Tonyo Cruz and Mr. Ramon del Rosario, Chairman of the Makati Business Club; the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the various economic and business organizations who supported the legislation.

Muli po, sa liderato ng institusyon at sa aking mga kapwa Senador na nagsusulong sa pagpasa ng mahalagang panukala na ito para sa ating mga mamamayan, kay Senador Gregorio Honasan na isa sa orihinal at tahimik na taga-taguyod ng People's Freedom of Information Act, sa Senate proper at Secretariat ng Senado ng Pilipinas. Marami pong salamat.