The Freedom of Information Philippines announced on its social media page that its electronic Freedom of Information (eFOI) Portal is now fully operational. Starting June 20, 2025, all FOI requests must be made through the portal at www.foi.gov.ph.
This development supports the implementation of Executive Order No. 2, signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte, which laid out the guidelines for Freedom of Information within the Executive Branch. This includes government-owned and controlled corporations, as well as state universities and colleges.
The FOI policy is based on the public’s right to access government-held information. It is intended to promote transparency and help ensure accountability among public officials.
FOI requests submitted through the previous method, via Google Form (bit.ly/FOIREQUESTFORM), will still be processed until June 19, 2025. These requests will be endorsed by the Freedom of Information-Program Management Office and processed by relevant agencies following the rules set by PCO Memorandum Circular No. 24-002.
FOI requests submitted to the eFOI Portal before March 20, 2025, will continue to be handled within 35 working days by the concerned government agencies. These requests will be processed even if they were also sent via the Google Form.
FOI allows any citizen to request access to records, contracts, and other official documents from government offices. However, there are exceptions. Information considered sensitive or related to national security may be withheld.
The full rollout of the eFOI Portal is part of ongoing efforts to make government data more accessible and easier to request in a centralized, digital format.
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