Dumaguete Metropolis councilor proposes FOI ordinance, flags ‘performative’ transparency

Contributors in Rappler’s #CorruptionWatch city corridor in Dumaguete Metropolis again requires stronger public entry to authorities paperwork and knowledge

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – A Dumaguete Metropolis councilor is pushing for a freedom of data (FOI) ordinance, saying that present transparency measures have change into largely “performative” and tough for bizarre residents to grasp.

Metropolis Councilor Renz Macion mentioned that whereas the native authorities complies with the Full Disclosure Coverage by releasing paperwork and posting them in public areas, these efforts usually fail to meaningfully inform the general public.

“We wish the complete disclosure coverage, however transparency alone isn’t sufficient. We’re releasing paperwork and posting them on bulletin boards, but most of the people can’t comprehend our transparency studies. It turns into performative,” Macion mentioned throughout Rappler’s anti-corruption city corridor on Thursday, February 5.

The proposed FOI ordinance was accredited on first studying in July 2025 however has but to be calendared for second studying, he mentioned.

The measure seeks to institutionalize entry to info and current authorities knowledge in a manner that’s simpler for residents to grasp. Whereas a nationwide FOI legislation has lengthy stalled in Congress, a number of native governments — together with Naga, Cebu, and Pasig — have handed their very own FOI ordinances to advance transparency.

Silliman College School of Legislation professor Golda Benjamin urged each authorities officers and neighborhood teams to participate in refining the proposal.

“Set up to enhance the ordinance in a manner that’s acceptable to the neighborhood. And when you can’t actually determine, maybe collective individuals energy may help push good agendas ahead,” mentioned Benjamin, who additionally serves as a senior specialist for company engagement on the Tara Local weather Basis.

Macion, a member of the town council’s minority bloc, emphasised that transparency initiatives require sustained public participation.

“When participation is powerful throughout the metropolis, there’s no house for corruption to thrive. When energy is shared, accountability lives,” he mentioned. “Authorities officers can’t do that alone. It must be a collective effort. It might be a tough battle, nevertheless it’s one price persevering with.”

Purple tape

Purple tape additionally emerged as a key concern through the discussion board. One participant and Rappler app person, who recognized herself as Trainer Mel, flagged the town engineering workplace’s processes as “excessive danger for purple tape.”

“Most steps are usually not but digitalized and require face-to-face encounters with company personnel, elevating the necessity for discretion and growing the danger of ‘pampadulas‘ (grease cash),” she mentioned in Rappler’s Livable Cities channel.

Negros Oriental Enterprise Improvement Basis chairperson and engineer Greg Uymatiao Jr. echoed this concern, noting that choices throughout the metropolis engineering workplace will be “discretionary.”

“Generally it will depend on who is aware of who,” he mentioned, including that he has sought steerage from skilled teams such because the United Architects of the Philippines and the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers to find out whether or not sure necessities had been justified.

Macion additionally referred to as for better use of know-how in metropolis governance to cut back face-to-face transactions, which he mentioned usually create alternatives for negotiation and discretion.

One discussion board participant steered growing a cell app that will enable Dumaguete residents to simply entry metropolis paperwork and knowledge, just like the system utilized in Naga Metropolis.

Macion, nonetheless, mentioned the proposal would require a feasibility evaluation, citing the town’s restricted assets and the necessity for public session earlier than transferring ahead.

Negros Oriental Governor Chaco Sagarbarria, Dumaguete Metropolis Mayor Chiquiting Sagarbarria, Negros Oriental 1st District Consultant Emmanuel Iway, and Negros Oriental third District Consultant Janice Degamo had been invited to the city corridor however didn’t make it, citing conflicts of their schedule.

The Sagarbarrias had been speculated to ship their representatives to the city corridor, however needed to again out to arrange for Tropical Storm Basyang. – Rappler.com