Freedom of Information (FOI) advocates on Friday raised concerns over the implementation of Executive Order no. Coalition presented its findings based on a series of FOI requests, during a forum in Quezon City, moderated by veteran journalist Malou Mangahas. The coalition pointed out that some agencies failed to comply with the Executive department’s deadline for an FOI Manual and a list of officers in charge of FOI requests. Other agencies that had a large number of denied requests were the Department of Budget and Management (11 out of 37 requests denied), the Philippine Statistics Authority (39 out of 93 requests denied), the Department of Transportation (21 out of 53 requests denied), and the Department of Finance (10 out of 25 requests denied). “The agency-determined exceptions should really be reviewed…it is actually an undermining of the EO and a violation of our right to access information,” she said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 17, 2017 12:45 UTC