𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐋 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐎𝐈
The Cebu Provincial Government made history after the Provincial Board approved on third and final reading the proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) Ordinance during its regular session on Monday, backing Executive Order No. 3 signed by Gov. Pamela Baricuatro on her first day in office.
Authored by Mandaue City Lone District Board Member Malcolm Sanchez, the measure seeks to make government transactions more transparent and efficient, in line with the policy direction of Gov. Baricuatro.
Sanchez worked closely with the Provincial Information Office (PIO), which is headed by Ainjeliz dela Torre-Orong and tasked with helping draft the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the ordinance.
The FOI measure is considered one of the flagship projects of the PIO. It also marks the first time that the Cebu Provincial Government has passed an ordinance institutionalizing freedom of information and public access to government records.
“It has a big impact on the Sugboanons. Aside from bringing the government closer to the people through transparency, as public servants, we have to be accountable to the people at all times,” Sanchez said.
For her part, Orong acknowledged the PIO’s crucial role in implementing the ordinance, citing three key steps to ensure its success: crafting specific rules and regulations, training FOI personnel, and strengthening information dissemination efforts.
“These will contribute to a more strategic and efficient process of acquiring public government documents,” Orong said.
“We truly value the discussions, the concerns, and the suggestions of the board members,” she added, noting that a measure of such importance required thorough deliberation.
𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬
Apart from promoting transparency, Orong said, Gov. Baricuatro pushed for the institutionalization of the FOI program to help curb the spread of fake news and misinformation.
“By giving people access to accurate and verified information, the public becomes more informed and more responsible in identifying and avoiding unverified or misleading news,” she said.
Upon assuming office on June 30, 2025, Gov. Baricuatro signed Executive Order No. 3, implementing the FOI program across the provincial government.
Transparency in governance through FOI has been one of the defining priorities of Gov. Baricuatro’s administration.
𝐆𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬
With the ordinance’s passage, the public will be guaranteed access to official records, policy data, and government transactions, subject to legal exceptions.
Sanchez said the program would involve designated FOI officers in each office who would coordinate directly with the PIO.
The ordinance, titled “An Ordinance Operationalizing the People’s Constitutional Right to Information in the Cebu Provincial Government Offices, Adopting an FOI Program in the Province, Providing Guidelines for its Implementation, and for Other Purposes,” seeks to establish a clear FOI system across Capitol offices, including their departments, divisions, and units. I CAPITOL PIO/ with reports from Christian James L. Manlegro, Karol Jossep Tapere, Jasper Clark Lariosa| CNU Interns
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