VILLANUEVA'S SPONSORSHIP SPEECH ON SENATE BILL 1014: PEOPLE'S FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

Senate Bill 1014

AN ACT PROMOTING AND ENFORCING THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO INFORMATION ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC CONCERN, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Friends, my dear colleagues, goodmorning.

I joined politics wayback in 2001 as party list representative.

Twelfth Congress po noon na kung saan ako naging "Benjamin of the House" o pinakabatang miyembro ng Kamara. Twenty-five years old lang po ako noon.

Some of my initial bills were the Freedom of Information or FOI Bill and the Frontline Services Information Bill. The latter became the Anti-Red Tape Act or Republic Act 9485.

The FOI Bill is one of the pet legislative proposals of Citizens' Battle Against Corruption Party List or CIBAC which I represented from 12th, 13th, and 14th Congresses.

Madam Chair, from the 12th to 14th Congresses, I have witnessed the circuitous journey of the FOI Bill in the House of Representatives.

Para po itong title ng isang kanta, "ikot-ikot lang"

Let me share that during the adjournment sine die of Congress in June 2010, I even called for the arrest of lawmakers to gather a quorum so that the House could act on the FOI Bill.

My motion "to arrest house members" was seconded by then Akbayan Representative and now Senator Risa Hontiveros.

Our motion was ignored.

At that time, we needed 135 warm bodies but only 128 showed up. Sadly, when the FOI bill was about to be taken up on the floor, there was one Congressman who objected and moved for a roll call.

Ayun na nga po ang nangyari, walang quorum, pinatay po ang FOI.

Tapos binuhay po ito noong 15th at 16th Congresses at salamat po sa Komiteng ito dahil talagang ipinaglaban po ang FOI para lalo itong maunawaan ng ating mga kababayan.

Ngayon po ay 17th Congress na. Obviously, hindi na po ako ang pinakabatang mambabatas pero hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin po batas ang FOI.

Ipinapanukala pa rin po ito ng CIBAC sa mababang kapulungan at maging ng representasyong ito sa pamamagitan ng Senate Bill 1014.

We are still here fiighting for the FOI because every Filipino has the constitutional right to know.

We need the FOI so that the state policy of full disclosure of transactions involving public interest will be operable.

We need a disclosure policy to facilitate doing business in the country, boost private sector investments, and advance our economic efficiency and competitiveness.

Ang takot ko po, Madam Chair, ay baka maging isa na ako sa pinakamatandang miyembro ng Kongreso ay hindi pa rin batas ang FOI. Huwag naman po sana.

Let us hasten our progress by making sure that the FOI Bill will be prioritized by the Senate and the House of Representatives and more importantly, certified as urgent by the President.

Thank you and God bless us all.