Rep. George Arnaiz of the 2nd district of Negros Oriental has reiterated his full support to the passage of pending House Bill No. 3732, of which he is one of the authors, saying he will lobby for its passage when Congress resumes next week.
Arnaiz, in a telephone interview, in line with the World Press Freedom Day local celebration in Dumaguete which he could not attend, told reporters that he strongly believes the bill shall get the majority of votes of legislators at the Lower House.
If there is nothing to hide, why curtail the freedom of the press to access government information, said Arnaiz.
Public documents are of public interest, unless these become a threat to national security or similar concerns, he added.
Subject of the news article, whether it is a person or agency, the chance to reply in the same media outfit where the news story is being carried.
According to Arnaiz, the FOI bill failed to pass during the last Congress for lack of quorum, but he believes the measure will be approved by legislators after deliberations on the bill shall resume.
Arnaiz also extended his congratulations to the members of the Dumaguete media for celebrating World Press Freedom Day last May 3.
The local celebration, spearheaded by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-Dumaguete chapter, and attended by media members of the Dumaguete Press Club, the local Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas and journalism students, had for its guest panelists private lawyer Joel Obar who calls himself a “libertarian”, lawyer Mikhail Maxino, dean of the College of Law of Silliman University and head of the Jovito Salonga Law Center, and Dumaguete Vice Mayor Alan Gel Cordova, who is also a lawyer.
Veteran broadcaster Glynda Descuatan acted as moderator and read to the group the statement of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) on the country’s current status on press freedom and the group’s campaign for the passage of the FOI bill. (PNA) JFP