LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 26- The tri-media in Albay on Tuesday urged Congress to pass the proposed measure on information freedom before it adjourns next month.
This was during an advocacy forum titled "Stop Killing Journalists" held here, with Nacionalista Party spokesperson Gilbert Remulla as resource person.
"Time is running out and only few days are left for the both houses of Congress to pass the bill," Dondie Belason of Bombo Radyo Legazpi said.
According to him, the Philippines Congress is expected to adjourn on the first week of February this year and yet there was no clear manifestation from the bicameral committee to push for the approval in the final reading the Freedom of Information Act.
Belason said it should be included in their priorities: "This is the only chance that they can make a difference because the proposed bill will make the 'Constitutional right to know' and the state policy of full disclosure of transactions involving public interest fully operable."
He also said while the right to information has been held by the courts to be executory, it is difficult to enforce in practice. There is no standard procedure in dealing with requests. There is no law clarifying the exact scope of the right. The state policy requiring government to fully disclose transactions involving public interest does not have the implementing mechanics, he said.
For his part, Manny Ugalde, correspondent of Manila Times based in this city, believed that Congress will not pass the Freedom of Information Act. "Because it is not favorable to them, they are more after projects with funding. They should stop implementing infrastructure projects, instead, they must focus on legislation."
Journalists' rights advocate Gilbert Remulla on the other hand, said while it is true that there are benefits to having a law that stipulates access to information, journalists should not see it as the solution to their problems in dealing with uncooperative sources of information from the government.
He also urged local journalists to be united and urge all Bikolano congressmen to approve the information bill. "We call on other groups to join us in the struggle to claim what is guaranteed to us by no less than the Constitution."
Remulla is hopeful that the bicameral committee will act to their favor. (PNA)