To all the champions and advocates of open government and good governance from the national government, civil society, the academe, the private sector, and the business community, good day.
Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
As Chair of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), I am honored to welcome you to this initial roundtable stakeholder consultation, which amplifies our renewed call for the institutionalization of Freedom of Information (FOI).
For over three decades since the filing of the very first FOI Bill, we have yet to pass an enabling law that will truly uphold the people’s constitutional right to information.
In 2016, Executive Order No. 2 was issued to operationalize this right, recognizing that every Filipino shall have access to information, and official and public records, with information that may compromise national security being the only exception.
In support of this, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) manages the eFOI portal, allowing Filipinos to easily request the information they need from government agencies from the comfort of their homes.
We likewise marked a historic feat for good governance in the country through the institutionalization of PH-OGP with the signing of Executive Order No. 31 by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in 2023—12 years since we became a founding member of the OGP. This paved the way for our Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches—despite being independent of each other—to work hand-in-hand and synchronize open government reforms.
And as a testament to our commitment to upholding access to information and fiscal openness, we have cemented our position as the most fiscally transparent country not just in Southeast Asia, but in the whole of Asia, based on the 2023 Open Budget Survey.
Alongside this, the Philippines officially joined the OGP Steering Committee in October 2024, giving us a golden opportunity to elevate our regional and global open government initiatives.
Finally, at the 2025 OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting which our country hosted in February, PBBM highlighted in his keynote address that “citizens can only truly participate in governance if they have access to information.” He cited this in front of over a thousand OGP leaders from governments and civil society from 40 participating countries in the Asia-Pacific and beyond.
We are thankful to the President as this is very much aligned with our vision of finally achieving the passage of the FOI Bill into law, also in line with our efforts to make the Philippines a global leader in transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in governance.
We may have a long road ahead, just as we have for the past decades, but here at PH-OGP, we don’t make empty promises. We march on and take action to fulfill our commitments, especially because we have the support of no less than our President.
And today, we are holding this series of consultations to chart the next steps in ensuring that the FOI Bill—one that is truly co-created with stakeholders for the people—will be considered a legislative priority in the 20th Congress.
Kagaya po ng lagi kong panawagan: sama-sama po nating gawing tunay na bukás ang Bagong Pilipinas para sa ating mas magandang bukas.
Thank you once again for joining us and we look forward to hearing your insights.
Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidaya, Wasalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.
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