Local gov't units urged to come up with FOI manual

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 27  -- The Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) has urged local government units (LGUs) to come up with their own Freedom of Information (FOI) manual in response to the call for transparency and full public disclosure of information.

Michelle Manza, engagement lead for the FOI program at PCOO, said that since local government units are not covered under Executive Order No. 2, they are being encouraged to apply the principle of public disclosure.

Among local governments in the country, only Laoag City and Ilocos Norte have developed their FOI manuals.

“We are bringing the FOI caravan to provinces to encourage LGUs to observe and be guided by the Executive Order No. 2. There’s a template to guide LGUs in coming up with FOI manual,” Manza said during the FOI Eastern Visayas caravan on Monday.

Village council member Vincent Basiano of the city’s Anibong district said it is crucial for local government units to carry out FOI as more people demand for accountability of their local authorities.

“I think people, especially in rural communities are more concern of learning about procurement activities and other financial transactions of their town or village than the activities of national government agencies,” Basiano said.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Executive Order on July 23, 2016 directing the “operationalization in the executive branch the people’s constitutional right to information and the state policies to full public disclosure and transparency in the public service.”

The Order also directed government offices to come up with the People’s FOI Manual designed for the general public to guide them in making FOI requests.

A manual should include the location and contact information of the head, regional, provincial, and field offices, and other established places where the public can obtain information or submit requests; the person or office responsible for receiving requests for information.

It also explains the procedure for the filing and processing of the requests; the standard forms for the submission of requests and for the proper acknowledgment of requests; the process for the disposition of requests; the procedure for the administrative appeal of any denial for access to information; and the schedule of applicable fees.

The directive also led to the development of electronic FOI portal.

At least 217 national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations, and state-run schools have been participating in the online portal, where requests are made online and automatically sent to the agencies concerned for immediate processing.

The Eastern Visayas leg is the second FOI caravan by PCOO. The first was in Bicol Region last month.

The caravan is in line with PCOO’s continuous effort and aspiration to intensify their information, education and communication campaign by reaching out to multi-stakeholders of the FOI Program across various regions of the country.

Participants consist of regional heads and representatives of national agencies, representatives from the academe, media, local government units and civil society organizations. (SQM/PNA)