With various issues concerning the lack of transparency when it comes to government documents, the House of Representatives have voted to approve the Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2026.
Under the said legislation, the public would be given easier access to records of government agencies without the need for prior approval from the respective repositories that contain the files.
Aside from providing individuals the ability to obtain and view documents, the proposed measure would also require the mentioned institutions to proactively publicize matters such as expenditures, procurement contracts, annual reports, and other related files.
If enacted into law, the bill also cited a provision wherein an independent Right to Information Commission that would be concerned with investigating any instances of non-disclosures and non-compliance to the principles of the act.
To provide further convenience, an online portal will also be established along with the designation of Right to Information Officers as part of its intention to promote complete transparency.
A portion of the bill also mentions that public officials that are found to unjustly deny the request of government information would be subjected to administrative, civil, and criminal liability in accordance with the law.
Senate Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, one of the bill’s authors, said that the measure was a landmark development in Philippine legislation, particularly in how it adopts previously physically recorded documents to digital platforms.
“Transparency is not merely a policy objective. It is a fundamental pillar of public trust. When government information is accessible, citizens are better equipped to make informed decisions and actively participate in nation-building,” Marcos said.
In spite of the bill’s move to ensure complete transparency, it also recognizes that there are some documents that should remain confidential such as law enforcement operations, foreign relations, and issues that affect national security.
Akbayan Partylist Rep. Chel Diokno mentioned that the most important provision of the RTI was its push to ensure that the documents concerning where taxpayers money was spent would be fully revealed for the public to scrutinize at their own behest.
“Sa pamamagitan ng RTI Bill, magiging mas mabilis at mas malinaw ang pagkuha ng impormasyon mula sa gobyerno–gaya ng SALN ng mga opisyal, mga kontrata sa proyekto, at rekord ng mga pampublikong transakyon,” Diokno explained.
(With the RTI Bill, seeking information from the government would be faster and clearer, particularly when it comes to SALNs of officials, project contracts, and records of public transactions)