MANILA, Philippines – Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo called on lawmakers yesterday to fast-track approval of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill.
Pabillo, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action Justice and Peace (CBCP-Nassa), said an FOI law could have prevented large-scale corruption particularly during the previous administration.
Pabillo’s call came after the discovery of almost P1 billion in unliquidated travel expenses of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her entourage from 2009 to 2010. Arroyo is now a Pampanga congresswoman.
Pabillo said the discovery of the unliquidated cash advances should convince President Aquino to support the immediate passage of the FOI bill.
“This would be our problem if there is no transparency. If there is no transparency, this would have been kept hidden (from the public),”he said.
The Senate finance committee said the unliquidated funds included P594 million spent on foreign and local travels in 2009 alone based on a report from the Commission on Audit (COA).
In a committee hearing, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa said that Malacañang found an additional P367.3 million in cash advances for travel released in year 2010 which remained unliquidated as of Aug. 31, this year. –Evelyn Macairan (The Philippine Star)
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
October –
Monthly Observances:
Industry and Commerce Safety Month
National Statistics Month
Local Government Month
Consumer Welfare Month
Cooperative Month
National Quality and Productivity Improvement Month
National Health and Wellness Tourism Month
National Indigenous Peoples Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Elderly Filipino Week
Week 2: National Health Education Week
Local Government Week
National Mental Health Week
October 17-23:
National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty
October 18 – 24:
United Nations Week
Last Week:
Nurses’ Week
Consumers’ Protection Week
Week of the 4th Sunday:
Barrio Farmers’ Week
Daily Observances:
First Monday (Oct 4): Universal Children’s Day i
n the Philippines
Oct 5: National Teachers’ Day
Oct 10: Local Government Day
Third Thursday (Oct 14): Conflict Resolution Day
Oct 21: Tenants’ Emancipation day
Oct 24: United Nations Day
Oct 29: National Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Day
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