Starting today, the public can request access to government records in offices within the Executive branch, except for nine information related to national security, executive privilege, and invasion of privacy, among others.
Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Christian Ablan said the Executive branch would begin the implementation of its Freedom of Information policy with the launching of electronic FoI or e-FoI facility today.
Under the e-FoI facility, records and information from 15 pilot government agencies will be made available to the public.
“Citizens who have queries on FoI can lodge their queries online on the website which is www.foi.gov.ph,” Ablan said in a Palace news conference.
“If you have queries and you want to lodge it online, it has to be limited to the 15 agencies. Outside the 15 agencies, then you have to go through the normal standard, paper-based process of going to the nearest government office in lodging your application there,” he added.
Among the agencies involved in the e-FoI facility are the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, Department of Justice, Department of Transportation, Department of Health, Philippine Statistics Authority, the National Archives of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, PhilHealth, Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, the Presidential Commission on Good Government, the Office of the Solicitor General, Public Attorney’s Office, and the Presidential Communications Operations Office. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)