Davide Assures Easy Media Access to Capitol Information

Gov. Hilario P. Davide III guaranteed to members of the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) that media would have trouble-free access to Capitol information during the CCPC meeting held at the Marcelo B. Fernan Press Center on Thursday.

On August 30, Davide signed Executive Order No. 15 providing for mechanism in obtaining information in the Executive branch as a response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 2 which realizes the people’s Constitutional right to information.

“Access to information should be a key feature of our government. If the people are informed, they will do the right thing. It is when they are not informed that they become hostages to prejudice,” said Davide.

Members of CCPC include media practitioners from print, radio and television as well as representatives from the academe and public sector.

Earlier this month, CCPC offered suggestions which include easy access to documents among media members. The council said that for the Capitol beat reporters and photographers to have easy access to information, the Capitol could post documents on its website or sent them to media organizations through electronic mails.

In this way, the CCPC said, the Capitol can avoid a layer of bureaucracy and set up an efficient release system without unnecessarily hampering the flow of information.

Speaking to Cebu’s prominent media personalities, Davide said the provincial government is heading towards digitizing Capitol documents but sluggish internet connection has caught up its full operation.

“We are going to that direction na tanan documents digitized na pero hinay ang internet. Pero padulong ta diha..ato gyud nang paningkamotan,” he said.

CCPC also expressed concern over Capitol requirement of a written request before obtaining the needed information as provided under section 3 (a) of Davide’s EO No 15.

Davide said Capitol memoranda, orders and other communications are freely distributed to the media even without a letter request.

Moreover, Davide emphasized that he was not restraining department heads from granting media interviews. In some issues with which details have not yet reached his office, Davide revealed that he would even suggest to reporters to approach the concerned department head for a complete information.

“I have signed the E.O No. 15 with a mindset that access to information helps the public make public officials and employees accountable for their actions and allows public debate that produces an informed and productive citizen,” he said.

Davide, however, clarified that only if the document is sensitive, then Provincial Information Office and Provincial Legal Office will have to determine if the document falls under the exceptions listed under the E.O. (Kelvin Canizares)

Source: www.cebu.gov.ph