LET’S HEAR IT from our profs:
Freedom of Information is vital to good scholarship and “evidence-based research.”
Freedom of Information is critical to “responsible participation in public life.”
Freedom of Information assures transparency, “our greatest defense against public officials who have diverged from the will of the electorate.”
Freedom of Information enables public servants “who have done right and performed well.”
in a joint statement, professors, deans, and a university president from the nation’s largest and most creditable universities, on Friday added their voices to the popular clamor for the immediate passage of the FOI bill by the 15th Congress.
The professors averred “the arbitrary roadblocks set by public offices (as) barriers to a sincere examination of government operations.”
They raised concern that, “failure to pass the bill in the fifteenth congress sets back the administration’s reform agenda at a crucial time when transparency in governance needs to be institutionalized.”
“It is unacceptable that a progressive piece of legislation is held hostage by politicians with vested interest seeking to incapacitate citizens who aim to hold them accountable,” they wrote.
Important lessons on citizenship and governance, indeed. But will the members of the House of Representatives listen? Will they pass or fail our professors, and do right on the FOI bill?
Here is the professors’ full statement:
Joint statement of academics for FOI
18 January 2013WE, the undersigned faculty members of various universities, in our individual capacity as scholars and citizens, urge our Representatives in Congress to pass the Freedom of Information bill.
We consider the bill an important piece of legislation to uphold our fundamental right to publicly-held information. As scholars, we view access to data as an integral component in evidence-based research.
Currently, the arbitrary roadblocks set by public offices are barriers to a sincere examination of government operations.
As citizens, access to information is critical to responsible participation in national life.
Transparency is our greatest defense against public officials who have diverged from the will of the electorate. It is also valued highly by public servants who have done right and performed well.
We express concern that failure to pass the bill in the fifteenth congress sets back the administration’s reform agenda at a crucial time when transparency in governance needs to be institutionalized.
It is unacceptable that a progressive piece of legislation is held hostage by politicians with vested interest seeking to incapacitate citizens who aim to hold them accountable.
There is enough time to pass the bill. We press the fifteenth congress to take action and pass the FOI bill now.
Signed:
1. Prof. Carmela Abao, Department of Political Science, Ateneo de Manila University
2. Prof. Flordeliz L. Abanto, Mass Communication Department, St. Scholastica’s College-Manila
3. Prof. Joy Aceron, Ateneo School of Government, Ateneo de Manila University
4. Prof. Arjan P. Aguirre, Department of Political Science, Ateneo de Manila University
5. Dr. Michael Alba, President, Far Eastern University
6. Dr. Fernando Aldaba, Economics Department, Ateneo de Manila University
7. Dr. Aileen S.P. Baviera, Asian Center, UP Diliman
8. Dr. Edsel L. Beja Jr., Economics Department, Ateneo de Manila University
9. Dr. Ma. Luisa De Leon-Bolinao, History Department, UP Diliman
10. Prof. Ma. Teresa Briones, Ateneo School of Government, UP Diliman
11. Dr. Tina S. Clemente, Asian Center, UP Diliman
12. Dr. Lisandro Claudio, Department of Political Science, Ateneo de Manila University
13. Dr. Sylvia Estrada Claudio, Center for Women’s Studies, UP Diliman
14. Dr. Antonio P. Contreras, Department of Political Science, De La Salle University
15. Dr. Nicole Curato, Department of Sociology, UP Diliman
16. Dr. Soledad M. Dalisay, Department of Anthropology, UP Diliman
17. Dr. Buenaventura Dargantes, Institute for Strategic Research and Development Studies, Visayas State University
18. Dr. Clarissa David, College of Mass Communication, UP Diliman
19. Dr. Maria Helen F. Dayo, Gender Centre, UP Los Baños
20. Dr. J. Prospero E. de Vera, National College of Public Administration and Governance, UP Diliman
21. Prof. Yolanda G. Ealdama, College of Social Work and Community Development, UP Diliman
22. Prof. Adonis Elumbre, College of Social Sciences, UP Baguio
23. Prof. Josefa Francisco, Women and Gender Institute, Miriam College
24. Dr. Eduardo T. Gonzalez, Asian Center, UP Diliman
25. Dr. Marita Castro Guevara, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Ateneo de Manila University
26. Dr. Filomin Candaliza-Gutierrez, Department of Sociology, UP Diliman
27. Prof. Ronald D. Holmes, Department of Political Science, De La Salle University
28. Dr. Antonio La Vina, Ateneo School of Government, Ateneo de Manila University
29. Dr. Joseph Anthony Lim, Economics Department, Ateneo de Manila University
30. Dr. Amado M. Mendoza, Jr., Department of Political Science, UP Diliman
31. Dr. Maria Fe Villamejor Mendoza, National College of Public Administration and Governance, UP Diliman
32. Dr. Lilibeth Miralles, Associate Professor and Research Unit Head, Visayas State University
33. Prof. Praksis Miranda, Department of Sociology, UP Diliman
34. Prof. Louie C. Montemar, Department of Political Science, De La Salle University
35. Prof. Emeritus Francisco Nemenzo, Jr., Department of Political Science, UP Diliman
36. Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo, School of Labor and Industrial Relations, UP Diliman
37. Dr. Rosalinda Pineda Ofreneo, College of Social Work and Community Development, UP Diliman
38. Dr. Mary Racelis, Institute of Philippine Culture, Ateneo de Manila University
39. Prof. Sabrina Nikki Ramos, Department of Sociology, UP Diliman
40. Prof. Rene Raymond R. Raneses, Jr., Department of Political Science, Ateneo de Manila University
41. Prof. Ranjit Rye, Department of Political Science, UP Diliman
42. Dr. Neil Martial R. Santillan, Department of History, UP Diliman
43. Dr. Alma Maria O. Salvador, Department of Political Science, Ateneo de Manila University
44. Prof. Teresita Ang See, College of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University
45. Dr. Carolyn I. Sobritchea, Asian Center, UP Diliman
46. Prof. Randy Jay C. Solis, College of Mass Communication, UP Diliman
47. Dr. Eduardo Climaco Tadem, Asian Center, UP Diliman
48. Dr. Teresa Tadem, Department of Political Science, UP Diliman
49. Prof. Efenita M. Taqueban, Department of Anthropology, UP Diliman
50. Prof. Carlos P. Tatel, Jr., Department of Anthropology, UP Diliman
51. Prof. Philip Arnold P. Tuano, Economics Department, Ateneo de Manila University
52. Dr. Victor S Venida, Economics Department, Ateneo de Manila University
53. Prof. Nathalie A. Verceles, Department of Women and Development Studies, UP Diliman
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REFERENCE:
Dr. Nicole Curato | 09285009353 | nccurato@upd.edu.ph