FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
18
January 2013
With 9 session days left, youth groups strengthen call for FOI
passage
With
only nine days left remaining for the House of Representatives to conduct its
sessions, youth groups reiterated their call for the passage of the Freedom of
Information Bill.
The
FOI Youth Initiative (FYI), which has now grown to 68 youth organizations from
all over the country, called on the Congress to “cement its reputation as the
House of the People that has successfully enacted relevant progressive
legislation for the rights and welfare of Filipinos.” The youth network is a
member organization of the Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition, a broad
alliance of FOI advocates from various sectors of society.
“They
shouldn’t stop now,” said Carlo Brolagda, Chairperson of the UPD CSSP Student
Council and one of the convenors of the FYI. “Failing to pass the FOI Bill
would make the House fall short of fully gaining the trust of the people in its
winning streak of passing long-awaited laws.”
“The
Senate has done its part by finally approving the measure. We believe that it
isn’t too much to ask for the House to do the same before the 15thCongress
ends and before many of its members go on campaign mode for the elections,”
said Brolagda.
He
added that “aside from possible problems in House members’ attendance, we also
have to deal with legislators who are adamant in having an anti-press freedom
Right of Reply provision in the bill. Some are misled into thinking that the
FOI Law will only cater to the media. They are completely mistaken because this
measure will benefit all citizens.” Moreover, Brolagda said that the FOI Law
“will go beyond being an anti-corruption tool because ultimately, it is a way
to catalyze participatory governance.”
UPD
CSSPSC Councilor and FYI convenor Chris Alquizalas called on his fellow young
leaders to help in lobbying for the bill by engaging their Representatives in
Congress.
“We
have to make them realize that FOI is our issue, too. We young people, who will
eventually inherit this government, want institutionalized mechanisms for
transparency and accountability of public officials and offices,” said
Alquizalas. “Let our generation be defined not just by the laws passed during
our youth, but more so by the actions that we have undertaken to ensure that
they are enacted.”
The
FYI is one with the call of the Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition for the
President and House leadership to certify the FOI Bill as urgent. The group
promised to be watchful of the proceedings in the House as it winds down
towards adjournment before the 2013 elections. #
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List of FYI Partner Organizations:http://youth4foi.blogspot.com/
The FYI Manifesto:http://youth4foi.blogspot.com/