ILOILO City — A key Iloilo City Council committee is pushing back against what it calls unfounded restrictions on the media’s access to public documents, as it moves to merge two proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) ordinances that aim to institutionalize transparency in the city government.
Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna, chair of the Committee on Communication and Public Information, said the panel is now studying the possibility of consolidating the FOI measures separately authored by Councilors Sheen Marie Mabilog and Jose Maria Dela Llana into a single, comprehensive ordinance promoting accountability and open governance.
“I am looking at reconciling first,” Cabaluna said in an interview. “We will check if there are provisions that can be merged into one comprehensive measure. If the two are found to be distinct and unique, they could exist separately — but if necessary, the committee may also recommend dropping one or both and drafting a consolidated version.”
Cabaluna emphasized that true transparency must include granting the media full access to government-held information, particularly those involving the use of public funds.
His remarks came amid reports that the city government initially withheld documents requested by journalists regarding the nearly P800,000 waiting shed project in Katilingban, Molo, citing data privacy concerns.
He countered such justifications, asserting that restrictions have no legal basis unless the information involves private or national security matters.
“If the information does not involve private or sensitive matters, then the LGU should allow public access,” Cabaluna said. “In fact, documents about how public funds are spent should automatically be made public.”
Cabaluna added that ensuring access to public records not only strengthens the right to information but also acts as a safeguard against corruption and misinformation.
“If the media wants to advocate for transparency, then I don’t think they should be limited,” he said. “Bidding documents, for instance, should be made public because these are matters of public interest.”
Mabilog’s proposal, titled “An Ordinance Operationalizing the People’s Right to Access Information and Establishing a Mechanism for the Disclosure of Public Records in Iloilo City,” was passed on first reading last week.
Meanwhile, De La Llana’s version, “Ordinance Operationalizing the Freedom of Information in the City Government of Iloilo, Creating the Central Appeals and Review Committee, and Providing Guidelines Thereof,” was approved on first reading during this week’s session.
The committee is expected to conduct consultations with both authors and technical reviews in the coming weeks before finalizing its recommendation to the city council./PN
