Openness and transparency – these are two of the weapons the citizenry and netizen needs to protect itself from the powerful and the corrupt— these are the very core of the freedom of information bill, the bill that would enable the implementation of Article III, section 7 of the 1987 Constitution says: “The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Acces
s to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.”
The right to and freedom of information is not only mentioned in the Philippine Constitution. It is also included in the 1946 declaration of the United Nations which provides that the freedom of information is an essential factor in promoting peace and progress in the world and as such, it is recognized as a fundamental human right.
