PIA brings FOI, responsible 

social media use to DepED 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 27 (PIA)—In bids to empower communities through correct, relevant and timely information, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Bohol brings to teachers and non-teaching personnel of Mansasa National High School (MNHS) information about three leading government programs. 

For their mandatory in-service training set October 23-25, MNHS had Data Privacy Act (DPA), Freedom of Information (FOI) and Responsible use of Social Media, in line with the widespread effort to guide communities in demanding transparency, accountability and truth from the government and the community. 

MNHS principal Corazon Samuya, through a communication, earlier requested the PIA for the information briefing which forms part of the teacher’s continuing education as well as personal enhancement. 

As educators by profession, your insights about the topic are very relevant to us so we can educate and help out students to be informed and aware if this law, writes principal Samuya. 

Other than the laws pertinent to data privacy, the school also requested for tips on how to be responsible social media users. 

The PIA, an office under the Presidential Communications and Operations Office, has been tasked by the president to lead the task force spreading the information about the Data Privacy Act and the FOI through Memorandum Order Number 10 dated December 29. 

It may be recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No 2 last July 23, mandating for the offices under the executive to comply with the FOI. 

The move is especially important because communities can now have the right to know if the persons they elected in a position are worth their vote. 

Moreover, since FOI gives access to official records, and to documents and papers, pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, the dissemination of information is vital to the progress of the country especially that this information can help contribute to knowledge. 

Also, the FOI can help reduce corruption, as the executive order allows media outfits to get hold of the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), which declares the financial interests of a public official or employee. Any sudden spike in the SALN could be a possible anomaly and could lead to corruption. 

Finally, the FOI is a change in the system as before, there was no way people can demand these information, but now, subject to conditions, there has been an open access opened by the EO 2. 

Since then executive departments agencies, bureaus, officers or instrumentalities of the government, including government-owned and -controlled corporations, are directed to render full assistance and cooperation to the PCOO as may be required to carry out its functions pursuant to this Order,” the memorandum said. 

Because the FOI signed was only for the executive branch, the constitutional rights of the public to information on matters of public concern is now recognized and 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 are now afforded to every the citizen, subject to such limitations provided by law. 

The FOI however does not cover the Legislative and the Judicial branches of government as these are separate from the executive but are co-equal in powers, the PIA stressed. 

Other than the tow relevant information, the PIA also brought in tips for responsible media use, in another effort to curb the spread of misinformation and disinformation through fake news and improperly contextualized information. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

INFORMATION FOR FORMATORS. Teachers and non teaching staff of Mansasa National high School had DPA and FOI as well as responsible social media for their In-Service-Training with PIA Bohol. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)