Robredo to initiate full disclosure policy as first EO

MANILA – Vice President Leni Robredo's first executive order if ever she gets elected as president is a full disclosure policy in order to promote greater transparency in public service.

During the second installment of the Commission on Elections' PiliPinas Debates 2022, Robredo said her first EO would require all government offices and instrumentalities to make public all their transactions and contracts "even without need of request from anyone".

She pointed out that transparency is one of the key elements to combat corruption, which, she said, is a result of both institutional and individual weaknesses. The other elements are accountability and people empowerment.

"Merong tatlong pangangailangan para siguraduhin natin na napipilitan, 'yung sistema napipilitan niya ang public officials para maging matino at mahusay. 'Yung number one, accountability. Gaya nung sinabi ni Senator Manny (Pacquiao), dapat 'yung nagkakasala napaparusahan. Pero equally important and even more important 'yung transparency at people empowerment kasi eto 'yung magp-prevent for public officials na gumawa ng mali 'pag very transparent ang ating processes (As what Senator Manny said, those found guilty of wrongdoings should be prosecuted. But equally important and even more important is transparency and people empowerment because these would prevent public officials to do wrong)," she said.

She also highlighted other instruments for transparency, such as creating a citizen's charter and digitizing government services and processes to improve public service delivery.

"Another instrument for transparency 'yung paggagawa ng citizens charter, na sinasabi natin, alam ng tao kung anong aasahan niya sa pamahalaan pagdating sa mga proseso, (at) 'yung pag-digitize ng lahat ng proseso para minimal 'yung human contact (Another instrument for transparency is the citizen's charter. Through this, the public would know what they would expect in terms of processes and the digitization of all processes for minimal human contact)," she said.

As for people empowerment, she stressed the need to involve the public in decision-making through the creation of people's councils in local governments, as well as the revival of the bottom-up budgeting scheme. (PNA)