THIRTEENTH CONGRl 
REPUBLIC OF T 
First Regular Session 
SS OF THE 
1 
1 
[E PHILIPPINES 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 
Introduced by SENATOR LUISA "LOI" P. EJERCI 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 111, Section 7 provides that "the right of the people to 
information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, 
and to documents, and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions as well 
as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded 
the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law". 
Access to government information allows citizens to monitor government actions. 
The public should be provided with timely, complete, equitable and affordable access to 
government information. 
This bill seeks to improve government information 
dissemination procedures and provide government offices with modem information 
technology. 
Hence, the speedy approval of this bill is earnestly solicited. 
LUISA "LOI" 


THIRTEENTH' CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
Introduced by SENATOR LUISA "LOI" P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO IMPROVE PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OF GOVERNMENT INFORMATION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assem bled: 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act may be cited as the "Improvement of 
Information Access Act". 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to inform the people 
on matters of public concern. Access to official records and to documents, and papers 
pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as to government research 
data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such 
limitations as may be provided by law. To enhance this right, government agencies 
should improve information dissemination procedures and be provided with modem 
information technology. 
Sec. 3. Information Dissemination Policies. - Each subdivision, agency and 
instrumentality of the government, including government owned or controlled 
corporations (hereinafter referred to as "departmentf' or "agency") shall prepare by not 
later than Febniary 1 of each year, and make freely available to the public upon request 
and at no charge, a report which describes the information dissemination policies and 
practices of the'department, including - 
(a) 
plans of the department to introduce new information products and 
services or discontinue old ones; 
(b) 
efforts of the department to develop or implement standards for file 
and record formats, software query command structures, user 


interfaces and other matters that make information easier to obtain 
and use; 
progress of the department in creating and disseminating 
comprehensive indexes and bibliographies of efforts conducted 
with other agencies; 
the methods to be used by the public for accessing information, 
including the modes and outlets available to the public; 
provisions for protecting access to records stored with technologies 
that are superseded or obsolete; 
methods used to make the public aware of information resources, 
services and products; and 
a summary of the comments received from the public under the 
succeeding section in the year preceding the report, and the 
response of the department to those comments. 
Sec. 4. Publication. - Not later than February 1 of each year, each department 
shall publish in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, and provide in such 
manner as will notify users of information of the department, a notice of- 
the availability of the report prepared under the preceding section; 
and 
a period of not less than 90 days for submission by the public of 
comments regarding the information dissemination policies and 
practices of the department or establishment, including comments 
regarding - 
(1) 
the types of information the department or establishment 
collects and disseminates; 
(2) 
the methods and outlets the department or establishment 
uses to store and disseminate information; 


(3) 
the prices charged by the department or establishment, or 
such outlets for information; 
(4) 
the validity, reliability, timeliness and usefulness to the 
public of the information. 
Sec. 5. Public Hearings. - Comments received under this subsection by a 
department shall be available for inspection to the public. Each year the department or 
establishment shall provide a reasonable opportunity for dialogue between responsible 
agency officials and interested members of the public, including through hearings and 
informal forums, regarding both proposed and existing policies, procedures and 
mechanisms for disseminating information under this Act and for otherwise 
implementing this Act. 
Sec. 6. Discontinuation of Information Service. - Before discontinuing an 
information product or service, an agency shall - 
(a) 
publish in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, or 
provide by other means adequate to inform users of information of 
the agency, a notice of a period of not less than 120 days for 
submission by the public 
of comments regarding 
that 
discontinuation; 
(b) 
include in that notice an explanation of the reasons for the 
discontinuation; and 
(c) 
consider comments received pursuant to the notice. 
Sec. 7. Dissemination of Information. - Each agency shall - 
(a) 
disseminate information in diverse modes and through appropriate 
outlets that will reinforce statutory requirements for depository 
distribution, as well as offering other channels of distribution, with 
adequate documentation software, indexes, or other resources that 
will permit and broaden public access to government information; 
(b) 
disseminate information in a manner that ensures the timeliness, 
usefulness and reliability of the infomation for the public; 


(c) 
store and disseminate information products and services in 
standardized record formats; and 
(d) 
use depository libraries, national computer networks and other 
distribution channels that improve and assure free or low-cost 
public access to government information. 
Sec. 8. Prohibition as to Charging of Costs. - 
(a) 
Except as specifically authorized by statute, an agency may not - 
(1) 
charge to depository libraries the costs of distributing 
information products and services; 
(2) 
charge more than the incremental cost of distributing an 
information product or service regardless of channels 
utilized by the agency; or 
(3) 
charge any royalty or other fee for any use or 
redissemination of government information. 
(b) 
The incremental cost of distributing an information product or 
service does not include any portion of the cost of collecting, 
organizing or processing information disseminated through the 
product or service. 
Sec. 9. 
Model Performance Standards. - The Director General of the 
Philippine Information Agency shall issue and periodically revise model performance 
standards under which agencies shall be encouraged to provide access to public records. 
Standards issued under this subsection shall include the establishment of a period 
within which an agency, upon request, shall provide by mail a copy of any decision, rule, 
notice, docket filing, press release or other public document of the agency. 
Sec. 10. Standards for Access to Public Records. - The Director General of the 
Philippine Information Agency shall issue model performance standards for providing 
access to agency records under the preceding section by not later than one (1) year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 


Sec. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or 
inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
Sec. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two 2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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