By Julia Carmela M. Hernandez, DBM PH-OGP PMO
Under the 6th PH-OGP NAP, the FOI Program is bringing openness closer to communities — expanding access to information, strengthening transparency, and building a culture of accountability nationwide.
An open government is one where information flows freely, communities help shape decisions, and accountability is part of everyday governance. The 6th Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) National Action Plan (NAP) is the nation’s roadmap for advancing transparency, citizen engagement, and accountability from 2023–2027. Each commitment is co-created with stakeholders and implemented by lead government agencies in collaboration with partners from civil society and other sectors. Among its commitments, the Presidential Communications Office’s (PCO) Scaling Up Implementation of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Program is breaking bureaucratic barriers, expanding access to information, and embedding openness at every level of governance.
From Commitments to Communities
FOI is taking root in communities as more local government units (LGUs) adopt policies and systems for public access to information.
Early in 2025, the FOI Program Management Office (FOI-PMO) kicked off the year’s localization efforts, building on the PCOO–DILG Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2018-01, which reiterates Executive Order No. 2, s. 2016 on operationalizing the people’s right to information and promoting full public disclosure and transparency in government. The circular encourages LGUs to enact FOI ordinances or issue local orders to make this right a reality at the local level.
Some notable efforts include conduct of ordinance formulation writeshops for LGUs as early as January, providing local officials with practical guidance on drafting and refining their own FOI ordinances. These were complemented by a wider slate of consultations, bootcamps, and mentoring sessions throughout the year, including the FOI Bootcamp for newly designated FOI Receiving Officers held in July 2025.
This year also marked the FOI-PMO’s initiation of partnerships with various national leagues, including the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), League of Vice Governors of the Philippines (LVGP), Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), among others, to advance the operationalization of the FOI Program at the local level.
These activities, in partnership with national leagues, give LGUs the tools and confidence to pass ordinances and set up their own FOI mechanisms. The launch of the Local FOI Ordinance Handbook, developed with USAID’s CHANGE Project, has become an essential guide for drafting and implementing these local policies. To date, 92 LGUs have already enacted their own FOI ordinances, an increase from 74 LGUs in 2023. This number is proof that the ongoing efforts of the PCO, anchored in their commitment to the PH-OGP NAP, is making its way in the ground.
At the national level, the FOI-PMO continues to onboard and orient implementing agencies and state universities and colleges (SUCs) to the FOI Program and the Electronic FOI (eFOI) Portal. In March 2025, they conducted a series of FOI Orientation and Consultation System (FOCS) sessions, caravans, and orientations with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Southern Luzon State University (SLSU), Palompon Institute of Technology (PIT), and the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA). Digital transformation also plays a central role in these efforts. Upgrades to the eFOI Portal are making it easier for citizens to search, request, and track information from multiple agencies. Alongside this, targeted public awareness campaigns are raising the visibility of FOI, encouraging more people to exercise their right to access information.
From Local Action to Lasting Reform
These milestones are expanding the program’s reach from national to grassroots governance, fostering a deeper appreciation for openness at all levels. Momentum is building nationwide as LGUs adopt localization strategies to open access to information, and national agencies and SUCs refine their processes with uniform manuals, digital tools, and continuous technical support. This is the vision of a more open, participatory government that we continue to work toward.
The strides made under the FOI Program are paving the way for deeper institutional reforms. Building on these gains, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), under the leadership of Secretary and PH-OGP Chairperson Amenah F. Pangandaman, is actively lobbying for the passage of a comprehensive Right to Information (RTI) bill to institutionalize people’s access to information and strengthen the country’s open government commitments under the PH-OGP NAP. These efforts are laying the groundwork for a government that is not only transparent and accountable but also proactive in empowering citizens and strengthening participatory governance across all levels.
