MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 23 (PIA) -- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is contemplating on enacting its own version of Freedom of Information (FOI) law, through its Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA).
Lanao del Sur Assemblywoman Samira Gutoc-Tomawis said the ARMM FOI is in the pipeline of the RLA legislative agenda.
Gutoc-Tomawis, herself a journalist by profession, said she would file the regional FOI bill as an “essential element of the principles of open governance that is now in place in the new ARMM for the welfare of its constituents.”
She said first in the list of a “must disclosure” in the bill would be public officials’ statements of assets liabilities and net-worth (SALN).
She further said an FOI act in the ARMM would complement the reform programs that are being pushed by the administration of Officer-In-Charge Governor Mujiv Hataman, who also believes that it is possible ARMM to come up with a regional FOI ahead of the national government, in support to the regional government legal framework of open government.
On March 1, 2012, Hataman issued ARMM Executive Order No. 7, which serves as the region’s charter of open governance.
He also opened last April 16, 2012 a big online touch-screen portal at the ground floor of the ARMM Executive Building, which had been installed for unconditional public disclosure of information pertaining to the ARMM, and its officials as well as conduct of financial transactions.
So far, only basic information on the regional government’s background and its officials’ profiles, have been uploaded for free-access public viewing.
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