DFA Bags Special Recognitions at the 2019 FOI Awards

Top Performing Agency Recognition. From left: FOI Program Coordinator Assistant Secretary Atty. Michel Kristian R. Ablan, DFA-FOI Program Implementation Focal Person Alec Chrisanti Acosta-Arenas, and Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary Atty. Marvin R. Gatpayat. (PCOO Photo)

MANILA 16 December 2019 — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) received two prestigious awards for its full implementation of the government’s Freedom of Information (FOI) campaign at the 3rd Edition of the FOI Awards spearheaded by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) on 12 December 2019 at The Peninsula Hotel in Makati.

DFA was recognized as one of the “Top Requested and Performing Agencies in the e-FOI Portal”. Likewise, from a pool of more than a thousand FOI officers across the country, Office of Strategic Communications and Research Assistant and DFA-FOI Program Implementation Officer Alec Chrisanti A. Arenas was awarded as one of the “Best FOI Officers” for having driven the DFA’s efficient and effective compliance with the FOI program and processes, including zero delays in handling requests.

FOI Awards recognize government offices as well as non-government organizations that have made significant progress in providing Filipinos their right to access information on matters of public concern.

PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar opened the awarding ceremony emphasizing the importance of making government information available in the fight against misinformation. "Proliferation of false news corrupts state-people relations, and delays if not obliterate development while dissemination of accurate information empowers the people, connects them to the government through the rebuilding of trust, which in turn inspires progress," Secretary Andanar said.

Arenas, along with FOI Assistant Liezl Angelique G. Diloy, received the Departmental recognition on behalf of the DFA. "For decades, FOI has been the battle cry of various sectors of society. Decades of uncertainty and indifference towards the government was ended by President Duterte during his first days in office three years ago when he signed Executive Order No. 2, s. 2016. Now, the Open Government Partnership has 100% of National Government Agencies onboard, of which the Department of Foreign Affairs is a proud partner for change. Now in its third year, the FOI program continues to weave the narrative of good governance and public participation through access to information," remarked Arenas.

The process of evaluation and deliberation were conducted by the FOI Awards Screening Committee, with the Office of the Executive Secretary as the Chairperson, the Philippine Librarians Association Inc. (PLAI) representing the academe, the National Press Club (NPC) representing media organizations, and the Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) representing the non-governmental organizations, as members.

The FOI program is being implemented under the Executive Order (EO) No. 2 series of 2016, which operationalizes in the Executive branch the people’s right to information and to do full public disclosure and transparency in the public service. END

Left Photo: Best FOI Officer. FOI Program Coordinator Assistant Secretary Atty. Michel Kristian R. Ablan and DFA-FOI Program Implementation Focal Person Alec Chrisanti Acosta-Arenas. Right Photo: DFA-FOI Assistant Ms. Liezl Angelique G. Diloy and DFA-FOI Program Implementation Focal Person Mr. Alec Chrisanti Acosta-Arenas holding the DFA’s Plaque of Recognition. (PCOO Photo)