Villanueva: Co-sponsorship speech Senate Bill No. 2880 Freedom of Information Act
November 26, 2024
CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
Senate Bill No. 2880 Freedom of Information Act
Sen. Joel Villanueva
Mr. President, and esteemed colleagues, a blessed afternoon to all of you.
It is my honor and privilege to co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 2880 under Committee Report No. 368. We would like to commend the sponsor, our distinguished colleague, Sen. Robinhood Padilla, for his hard work in pushing for this measure and for considering our bill, Senate Bill No. 933 or "An Act Implementing the People's Right to Information and the Constitutional Policies of Full Public Disclosure and Honesty in the Public Service, Appropriating Funds Therefor and For Other Purposes".
We live in a time where information is power. It influences opinions and decisions, and it ensures that those in power are held accountable. However, for this power to truly benefit the people, it must be made accessible to everyone. Without the right to access information, the Filipino people are left in the dark, exposed to the risks of misinformation, fake news, poor governance, and corruption.
Thus, our call for accountability and transparency must become stronger.
Globally, there is a positive trend among countries in acknowledging the "importance of a dedicated arrangement within public bodies to deal with access to information." Based on the 2021 Report on Public Access to Information by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), around 132 UN Member States have adopted various "Access to Information" legal guarantees.
For this reason, a Freedom of Information Act is crucial for our country. The passage of this measure will encourage accountability from our government agencies, thereby upholding democratic ideals and building public trust among our institutions. Again, we wish to convey our full support for this proposed legislation, which will encourage the free flow of information held by government agencies, from national offices to local government units.
With this, Mr. President, it is with great fervor that we push for the passage of this measure.
Thank you, Mr. President, dear colleagues, and may God bless us all.
