Poe to prioritize FOI bill if elected president

MANILA – Independent presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe on Monday reiterated her commitment to prioritize the enactment into law of the Freedom of Information Bill (FOI) if elected in May elections.

”If God will permit and I will be given a chance to serve as president, that’s my priority,” Poe said in a radio interview.

Poe renewed her commitment as she and running mate Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero prepared for the grueling 90-day election campaign that would kick-off on Tuesday at the historic Plaza Miranda.

Under Poe’s stewardship as chairperson of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, the Senate was able to pass on third and final readying the FOI bill.

The House of Representatives, however, adjourned last week without even discussing it on the floor.

”I did my promise to pass it in the Senate but it failed to hurdle the Congress,” Poe, a leading presidential aspirant, said.

Once passed into law, the FOI, she said, would give the public privilege to scrutinize all the transactions involving public funds and the public servants themselves.

”I don’t want the public to get impression that I’m hiding something. It is better that from the start, they would know all my actions,” Poe said.

”Those who are hiding something, they will really find hard time because they will be seen and monitored by the public,” she added.

Meanwhile, Poe said the Partido Galing at Puso (PGP) has chosen Plaza Miranda because it is located in front of the Quiapo Church.

”Quiapo church is a symbol of success from the difficulties and challenges that the Filipinos have been facing and as a person, I have also many challenges,” Poe said.

Poe has been disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) but granted with temporary restraining order by the Supreme Court (SC) while waiting for the results of her petitions to dismiss two disqualification cases against her.