I rise to co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 1432 — the People’s Freedom of Information Act.
This measure turns a constitutional promise into a living practice: government that our people can see, understand, and hold to account. When information flows, corruption dries up. When records are open, services improve. And when citizens can ask and get answers, trust—the most precious currency in public life—grows stronger.
I filed Senate Bill No. 853, which was incorporated in this substitute bill. The said measure sets a clear rule: disclose by default, with narrow and necessary exceptions. It compels proactive publication of vital documents, sets firm response timelines, and imposes real consequences for willful concealment. In plain terms: no more hiding behind red tape; no more darkness where public funds and public decisions are concerned.
Transparency is not a threat to government—it is its best protection. It shields honest officials, empowers citizens, and strengthens democracy.
I urge this Chamber: let us pass the People’s Freedom of Information Act and make open our standard, not our slogan, para sa bayan, para sa tiwala, at para sa katotohanan.