LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Mar 5 (PIA) - The passage of a Freedom of Information (FOI ) ordinance in Pangasinan has been tackled in a hearing at the Committee level and is now up for second reading.
This was bared by Vice-Governor Mark Lambino saying the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) is just waiting for the result of the committee hearing of ‘An Ordinance Operationalizing Freedom of Information in the Provincial Government of Pangasinan and Providing Guideline Therefore’ before it will be moved to the next level.
“I’m actually very optimistic na maipapasa ito in the next few sessions,” Lambino told the Philippine Information Agency.
In a separate interview, Provincial Information Officer Orpheus Velasco said the passage of a provincial ordinance on FOI will set the local mechanism to operationalize the Executive Order of the President as well as enjoin all component cities and municipalities in the province to follow suit.
“The provincial government of Pangasinan is well known for its transparency in local governance with financial documents as well as SP-enacted provincial ordinances and provincial resolutions readily accessible in the official website of the province,” Velasco told PIA.
It can be recalled that three weeks ago, the Presidential Communications Operations Office staged the PCOO Roadshow in Dagupan City for the Pangasinan leg of the show where one topic presented was the FOI.
Meanwhile, in the Laging Handa Network Briefing, PCOO Undersecretary Kristian Ablan who serves as the program director for FOI said his office has launched the first FOI Training of Trainers for 2021.
Usec. Ablan said the TOT featured in-depth discussions on the implementation of the FOI program and balancing FOI with laws on data privacy and attended by 63 individuals from various civil society and people's organizations, LGUs, private sector, and members of the academe.
“As part of our transparency legacy and trust building this year, the FOI-PMO (program management office) presents the Transparency Legacy Digital Lecture Series which aims to increase the knowledge of our FOI stakeholders,” Ablan said during the March 4 episode of NB.
Included in the series which will happen on March 10 are topics to help in the implementation of FOI in all branches and sectors of government. The first series will focus on data integrity.
The Freedom of Information was set into motion under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte through Executive Order No. 2 series of 2016 in pursuit of transparency and accountability in the government. (JCR/VHS/PIA-Pangasinan)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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