ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Council has taken a bold step toward dismantling the “walls of secrecy” in local governance with the approval on first reading of a proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) Ordinance, a landmark measure that seeks to make City Hall’s records open to public scrutiny.
The measure aims to institutionalize transparency by granting Ilonggos the right to access government documents, contracts, and spending records — a move she described as crucial to restoring faith in public service.
“This is for every Ilonggo who is tired of a government full of secrets,” said proponent Councilor Sheen Marie Mabilog. “The people’s right to access information is not just a privilege — it is the foundation of good governance.”
The proposed ordinance will empower residents to participate in governance by understanding how their taxes are spent and how projects are implemented.
“The public should know what projects the government is implementing, how much the city government’s budget is, how much each barangay receives, and where their taxes are being spent,” said Mabilog. “As Sen. Bam Aquino once said, the people should know where their taxes go up to the last peso.”
She cited cases of billion-peso infrastructure projects nationwide — including those in Iloilo City — that have drawn public suspicion over alleged overpricing and irregularities in bidding. “These projects are funded by the people’s money, not the politician’s money,” she stressed. “If these were done right, they could have built schools, hospitals, and livelihood programs instead of leaving people in doubt.”
If enacted, the measure will make Iloilo City one of the few local governments in the country with a codified FOI system — a significant stride toward making transparency not just a slogan but a binding rule at City Hall./PN
