𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐋 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐈 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐓, 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐅𝐅, 𝐅𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒
The Cebu Provincial Government has begun laying the groundwork for the implementation soon of its proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) ordinance, aimed at standardizing public access to records and strengthening accountability across Capitol offices.
Organized by the Provincial Information Office (PIO), the half-day virtual training held on Monday, April 6, was participated in by Capitol employees, FOI focal persons from Cebu’s component cities and municipalities, and representatives from state universities and colleges (SUCs) and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs).
Lone District of Mandaue Provincial Board (PB) Member Malcolm Sanchez, author of the proposed measure pending before the PB, joined the training and delivered a welcome message.
Resource speakers from Malacañang-based Freedom of Information–Program Management Office (FOI-PMO) namely, Sabrina Anya Feliciano, training specialist, and Frances Paula Libo-on, compliance and monitoring officer, discussed best practices and the implementation of FOI policies among national government agencies under the executive branch, equipping participants for the ordinance’s rollout.
The initiative builds on earlier steps by the province, including benchmarking visits by the PIO to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in Malacañang, as well as in leading LGU FOI implementers, namely the cities of Quezon and Pasig.
The province’s proposed FOI ordinance has passed first reading and cleared committee hearings last week.
In November last year, Cebu Province, under Governor Pamela Baricuatro, was recognized by the PCO as among the LGUs that have adopted FOI guidelines—affirming its commitment to transparency and open governance.
This policy direction was reinforced through Executive Order No. 3, signed by the Governor on her first day in office, which implements the FOI Program across all provincial offices and entities, ensuring public access to official records, data used in policymaking, and government transactions, subject to legal exceptions. /𝑪𝑨𝑷𝑰𝑻𝑶𝑳 𝑷𝑰𝑶
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