Malacanang to rollout e-FOI on Nov. 25

Government will publish online through the e-FOI documents which are not classified or does not contain sensitive information starting November 25, 2016.

CEBU CITY - Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Friday said the national government will rollout the e-FOI or the online version of the Freedom of Information executive order on November 25.

Andanar was in Cebu Friday as keynote speaker on the forum on the “FOI and the Media,” as part of the celebration of the 22nd Cebu Press Freedom Week which opened on Sunday.

President Rodrigo Duterte has issued Executive Order No. 2 which covers the FOI in the executive department.

An FOI bill is pending in the House of Representatives which, if enacted into law, will cover all the branches of the government from the executive, legislative and judiciary.

Andanar said the 166 exceptions to the FOI proposed by the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice are still being discussed.

Andanar said the government will be proactive and publish online through the e-FOI documents which are not classified or does not contain sensitive information.

He said these will prevent the agencies under the executive department from being saddled with numerous requests for information under EO No. 2.

While in Cebu, Andanar also visited the offices under the Presidential Communications Operations Office, including the Philippine Information Agency 7, Radyo ng Bayan and the Philippines News Agency. [By Eddie Barrita, PNA]