TACLOBAN CITY- Close to 500 students, barangay officials, and sectoral representatives got clearer understanding on the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill as the roadshows of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) rolled out in the region on March 28 and 29, 2019.
PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar led the team that flew-in for the special event in Calbayog City and Tacloban City.
In both fora, Andanar informed that the FOI Team has been holding fora around the country because they want people to get a clearer view of what FOI is and how people can better understand and appreciate it.
He said that the FOI of President Rodrigo Duterte is unprecedented that it was one of his top priority agenda when he assumed office.
In fact, soon after his assumption, Pres. Duterte signed Executive Order No. 2 which is aimed to “encourage people’s participation for a better transformation of their lives for the better.”
“Freedom of information is freedom for you to choose what is right that given the correct information, it will be your option to choose which can be better for you, your actions and behavior,” the PCOO Secretary said.
He cited for an example, the number of people who perished in the war on drugs.
According to him, it has been spread that more than 20,000 people have already died in the campaign but in truth, if one would just check the FOI portal, it will be gathered that no more than 5,000 people died in actual operation.
In the midst of fake news proliferated by a number of critics with their self-vested interests, Sec. Andanar further urged the audience to avail of the information that are made available in the FOI portal, where everything is true and correct.
“The FOI ideal is information for transformation. Clearly, it is not merely about knowing how our government functions, but a matter of acting about that knowledge for improving the work in government and the status of our people,” said Andanar.
The FOI team members included Usec Joel Egco and Asec Mon Cualuping who both welcomed questions during the open forum to the delight of the participants. (LDL/AEN/PIA-8)
