The Makati Business Club (MBC) has joined the clamor for the passage of the Information Bill saying this piece of legislation would raise the bar for transparency and accountability in governance.

In a statement, MBC expressed hope that the House of Representatives will have time to ratify the Freedom of Information Bill.

“We sincerely hope that the House despite its other equally pressing tasks at hand will not waste the opportunity to advance this landmark bill,” the MBC said.

The bill was ratified by the Senate in February, but due to the absence of a quorum in the House in the last two days before it adjourned for the election period, the House failed to ratify the measure.

Both houses of Congress need to ratify the conference committee report on the FOI bill before it is submitted for the signature of the President.

On May 24, the House reassembled to pave the way for the joint session with the Senate and the convening of the National Board of Canvassers.

The MBC said that this period, up to the final adjournment of the 14th Congress on June 4, is also the last opportunity for the ratification and passage of the FOI bill.

“If Congress misses the deadline, the measure will have to be re-filed and again undergo the whole process of committee hearings and plenary debates in each house of Congress, and consolidation and ratification by both houses, before the approval of the President,” the statement added.

The Speaker of the House has committed to take up the bill on May 31. The measure, in its final form, has been forged by consensus, thus its ratification could take as little as five minutes.

“The Right to Information is enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution. With the passage of the bill, except for clearly defined exceptions, citizens’ access to government information shall be guaranteed, thus raising the bar for transparency and accountability in governance. Citizens right to information on matters of public concern can no longer be frustrated or held hostage by public officials with dark secrets to hide,” the statement said.