Freedom Information Bill (Article from Mindaview)

Freedom Information Bill

            Let our legislators both in the House of Representatives and Senate prioritize and work for the passage of Freedom information Bill. As Ms. Kris Aquino would  say it: Now na! It’s urgency has been there and ironically has even reached this far when it is long overdued. It’s definitely a mistake the succeeding administration can not afford to commit. No less than President Apparent Noynoy Aquino himself set the direction of that need in his “Walang korupsyon” battle cry for his administration last election. By all means it entails using  gigantic effort  to overrule that stigma the country has  in the eyes of the world as the most corrupt. It’s redemption time after all, yellow is the color of the day where million others are all behind him as shown by his overwhelming yellow mandate last election. The problem is the discussion is deferred until June 4, 2010 (Friday) because of  the on-going canvassing.

As is and where is, corruption is still there simply lurking in the dark  waiting any opportunity to  strike. Mostly of those succumbing to its irrepressible power are  comprehensive in nature from national collecting agencies the likes of BIR, Customs to implementing agencies where lots of money are free-flowing  like DPWH where one time at the height of corruption was renamed into Daghang Projects Walay Human.  Then there’s DEPED, DA and military. Apparently, it is all the select high ranking officials in connivance with their cohorts down the line of implementing agency enjoying  sharing and eating the lion share of the project. The freedom information bill covering these national government agencies would definitely go a long way in that they would be put in focus and thus taxpayers money would be protected.

The  stake is even  greater where agencies are implementing huge projects.  Save of  course for the no-nonsense functional Bids and Awards Committee that  in practice some members have  resigned to save their sanity, face and hard-earned  retirement, fraudulent transaction is prevalent and facilitated in connivance with third party, the contractors. Kaliwaan, buying-out and negotiated bidding in the absence of some technicalities – these are some of the examples where corruption thrives. It’s like a conspiracy wanting to lick government’s coffer clean and  dry. But sadly, it’s hard to pinpoint the perpetrators as corruption has all the ramifications down below  and  the all the way up.

 Never mind the SOPs which is beyond the control of the government. It maybe 10% to 20%.  It’s all there imbedded in the system but eating the big chunk of the money intended for a project is sick joke depriving benefits of the majority of the people instead siphoned by big family, patronage politics, political dynasties and equally ambitious officials. Look how those Conjugal dictatorship brought us. The tradition of corruption is long and probably will still go a long way if not contained and arrested. All efforts should be directed therefore in addressing the issue.

Freedom to information bill once  it becomes a law would therefore be a welcome respite that would give justice to citizen’s right to information’ clause  in the Constitution in that the projects will now be open for confirmation that there’s no graft and corruption involved. As such it will help secure the success of any project as more prying eyes will look into its implementation. But will this not muddle and mess up the issue all the more. Where are all those internal auditors., PBACs, NGOs and ordinary but  concerned employee are reciting those “aking isisiwalat ang mga katiwalian . . .” weekly in convocation program and other duly instituted sectors tasked in looking into the projects? They too might have been probably dragged into the issue and became party to the deal. Their collaboration would have probably institutionalized corruption.

 It’s payback time then to the ordinary tax paying citizens as they have now an ace up their sleeves through that Freedom Information Bill to look into the transaction where did their money goes and correspondingly, file the necessary lawsuit against the erring officials. Well said but how it could be done.

 The proposed bill once enacted into law would be another landmark legislation.  But I hope it would not be another stone that would lie in the corner. No question about it. If fully implemented, it  would not only save a lot of money back for the government coffers but most importantly save our country’s face from the most corrupt into fast growing tiger economy of Asia never mind last. Who knows pila ra may palad sa ungoy, as we said it in  vernacular. And why really not  PGMA for instance has shown what it takes to register 7.4% economic growth rate in the first quarter this year  of her administration without firing a single shot, the highest as always drumbeated what with the bigger chunk of  reviving our economy coming  from the usual top heavy turn out of remittances from our overseas workers. Whether it trickled down to the lowest of the marginalized sector as debated earlier is yet to be seen.  The bottom line though, we are still wallowing in the quagmire of poverty more than feeling the fruits of such lofty pronouncement. How could we feel elated over this kind of development when that repressive E-VAT law is still taking its toll practically in all services we get from the market. And how could we be really happy in Manong Enrile’s favorite diction when taxes, too prohibitive, has been constantly adding burden among public sectors.

Apparently, there’s a lot of homework to do to eradicate corruption and the proposed bill might just be the best cure for the disease. In fact, one big official in the government advices to just trim it down to the minimum just above survival threshold as  like batman, corruption   just come and go. But why not resort to  no-nonsense and  full implementation of the battle plan of restoring lost prestige as the most corrupt. The lessons from the rest of Asia shows how to be one.

Japan just after World War II when their economy was devastated all together joined forces in reviving its economy from the woes of war with Gen. Douglass Mc Arthur calling the shots. Children helped by  hauling stones and boulders alongside with  adults regardless of gender. South Korea had Saemul Undong (New Citizens Movement) like our then New Society of  then Dictator Ferdinand, had their work ethics pervading  in all industries. Taking even in charge of holding an  Olympics shows how far they were capable of sharing the burden and glory for their country. We have of course, Taiwan who having been bolted out by Mao Tse Tong in 1948 from Mainland China has to work hard and capitalize on the help of United States. Corrupt officials would find their faces splashed in front page  the following day in Newspapers as they seriously pursued no-nonsense Agrarian Reform and rural development. They just can’t afford wasting away the help extended by Uncle Sam or forfeit such windfall.  Look at where Taiwan now. It has not only  eclipsed other tiger economies in the Region but also boast of the highest foreign reserve in the world. Their employees maintaining  at least 45% of their salaries no matter how much they spent, is one of the record. And want to meet and even exceed their tax collection? Here BIR will learn the trade. Have the names of the crooks and delinquent tax payers posted in the internet in seaport and airport, clearing only to travel upon payment of their unpaid taxes.

Such are freedom of information at best and practiced. When fully implemented, corruption is indisputably numbered. It’s tough but we can do it with Pres. Aquino’s fresh mandate. Only we should have that nerve of pulling surprises catching the crooks for good.  Thanks to Freedom information Bill. It may indeed be the one we’ve been waiting for  and whose time has come.