Public Information committee to hear FOI
final hearing hopes to reconcile different versions

Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the committee on public information and mass media, will lead the second and final hearing on the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 10 a.m.to12 noon at the Senate Session Hall.

Invited guests include Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, Presidential Communications and Operations Office Assistant Secretary Jess Anthony Yu, Civil Service Commission Assistant Commissioner Ariel Ronquillo, former Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III, Deputy Ombudsman Gerald Mosquera, Ateneo Law School Dean Emeritus Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J., and University of the Philippines Professor Clarita Carlos.

Also invited are National Artists Virgilio Almario and Bienvenido Lumbera, Integrated Bar of the Philippines National President Vicente Joyas, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Miguel Varela, Philippine Daily Inquirer publisher Raul Pangalangan, Probe Productions, Inc. Founding President Ma. Cecilia "Che-che" Lazaro, GMA 7 News and Public Affairs Vice-President Jessica Soho, ABS-CBN News Head Regina "Ging" Reyes, Interaksyon Editor-in-Chief Roby Alampay, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Vice-President Alwyn Alburo, and netizens and bloggers.

The committee hopes to reconcile the different versions of the FOI bill soon. There are at least 10 pending legislations on FOI filed at the Senate.

The first FOI hearing was held on Sept. 4, with guests from the government, media, and non-government organizations on the panel.