Cebu Province 1st to Issue Local FOI Directive

Cebu Province is the first in the country to have passed an order implementing the Freedom of Information at the provincial Capitol.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, issued Executive Order 15 in August this year providing a system in the executive department in obtaining information documents and acknowledged the people’s constitutional right to information on public matters.

According to a report from the Provincial Information Office (PIO), a copy of the order was handed over to Peter Lavina, head of the Office of Participatory Governance and Marlonfritz Froto, the director of Good Governance and Anti Corruption Office.

Both were guest speakers during the launching of the province wide campaign on Federalism.

“We would like to congratulate the Province and Governor Davide for coming up with this model, the first in the country for an FOI in the provincial level,” Lavina said.

Broto for his part said Davide’s order is a setting statement to all other leaders of the country that there is a need to have this kind of Executive Order.

A copy of the Executive Order will be given to President Rodrigo Duterte.

“This is not simply a local issue but actually an international one that this country should address,” Broto said.

The order of Davide was issued earlier than the Resolution approved by the Cebu Citizen’s Press Council (CCPC) calling local government units to follow the FOI.

On the other hand, the Cebu Association of City and Municipal Public Information Officers (CAOCAMPIO) is also set to issue a Resolution pledging support and adherence to the FOI memorandum.

During the campaign period, Duterte pledged support for the passage of an FOI bill, which he vowed to include among his priorities in his legislative agenda if he would become president.

Less than a month after he assumed office, the former Davao Mayor signed the order to fulfill his campaign promise of bringing transparency in government. (mbcn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu/ with reports from Cebu PIO)