Freedom of Information ordinance dead on arrival in San Jose SB voting

A proposed Freedom of Information ordinance in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro failed to pass its second reading in the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) after securing only three affirmative votes, with the remaining members abstaining.

Councilor Jesriel Cacayorin, author of the ordinance, expressed disappointment over the ordinance’s failure to advance despite months of revisions based on public hearings and consultations.

“The ordinance was revised several times based on suggestions and recommendations from hearings and consultations,” Cacayorin said. “But even after delays of several months, it was not approved in the end.”

The proposed ordinance is intended to revolutionize transparency and accountability in local government by granting citizens the right to access information and copies of public documents related to municipal projects, programs and fund utilization.

The country has had a national Freedom of Information policy since 2016, when then-President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 2 mandating transparency in the executive branch.

However, the order does not cover the legislature, judiciary, or constitutional bodies.

A comprehensive FOI law remains pending in Congress despite several attempts over nearly three decades.

The bill has been filed in every Congress since 1992 but has never been enacted into law, making the Philippines one of the few democracies in Asia without such legislation.

Local government units have the authority to pass their own FOI ordinances to promote transparency at the municipal level, though implementation varies widely across the country’s more than 1,600 municipalities.

Meanwhile, councilor Cacayorin said he remains committed to advocating for an “open, honest and accountable government” in San Jose despite the setback.