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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
- 
:I,_ -2 
p (; .y :! 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JlNGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
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 dafa used as basis for policy 
development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitafions as may be 
provided by law. I’ 
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 modern information technology. 
Hence, the speedy approval of this bill is earnestly solicited, 
J W ~ G O ~ J E R C I T O  
ESTRADA 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
I .  
7 JU1 -2 
-n 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO IMPROVE PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OF GOVERNMENT INFORMATION 
Be if enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act may be cited as the "lmprovernent 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 tu 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 "department" or "agency") shall prepare 
by not later than February 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; 
(c) progress of the department in creating and disseminating 
comprehensive indexes and bibliographies of efforts conducted with other 
agencies; 
including the modes and outlets available to the public; 
(d) the methods to be used by the public for accessing information, 


(e) provisions for protecting access to records stored with technologies 
(9 methods used to make the public aware of information resources, 
(9) 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. 
that are superseded or obsolete; 
services and products; and 
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: 
(a) the availability of the report prepared under the preceding section; and 
(b) 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 
(2) the methods and outlets the department or establishment uses 
(3) the prices charged by the department or establishment, or such 
(4) the validity, reliability, timeliness and usefulness to the public of 
collects and disseminates; 
to store and disseminate information; 
outlets for information; 
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 forum, 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 lnformaiion 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 
(c) consider comments received pursuant to the notice 
discontinuation; and 


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; 
usefulness and reliability of the information for the public; 
(b) disseminate information in a manner that ensures the timeliness, 
(c) store and disseminate information products and services in 
(d) use depository libraries, national computer networks and other 
distribution channels that improve and assure free or low-cost public access to 
government information. 
standardized record formats; and 
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 I O .  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 tws (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,