ONE NATION UNDER GOD: Sen. Grace Poe

DAVAO CITY - At one point in former President Benigno Aquino III's final State of the Nation Address (SONA) exactly one year ago, three of his possible successors -- Jejomar Binay, Grace Poe and Mar Roxas.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMAtxDXgJVxgrRT5755r7J7Vb72Gp66eGwK89btMqTUyGg6Dh_cw2hS_d1RamWb-6LJHv2EzOSRUZAIWzyZVjwUad2yUoUlJ4etpc5Qm1XBsxvCXSqPEvywNTJPP4kdzfnMwaBtet6Pg/s1600/binay-poe-roxas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="https://go.ad2up.com/afu.php?id=774878" border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMAtxDXgJVxgrRT5755r7J7Vb72Gp66eGwK89btMqTUyGg6Dh_cw2hS_d1RamWb-6LJHv2EzOSRUZAIWzyZVjwUad2yUoUlJ4etpc5Qm1XBsxvCXSqPEvywNTJPP4kdzfnMwaBtet6Pg/s640/binay-poe-roxas.jpg" title="http://go.ad2up.com/afu.php?id=774878" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: franklin-gothic-urw, Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; padding: 10px 0px;">
Not knowing that they forgot to include then Davao City Mayor now President Rodrigo Duterte, who was just sitting on a monobloc chair at the People's Park in Davao City.</div>
<div style="font-family: franklin-gothic-urw, Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; padding: 10px 0px;">
Duterte at that time was watching Aquino's last SONA with Davaoenos while he was on standby for a live interview on ANC.</div>
<div style="font-family: franklin-gothic-urw, Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; padding: 10px 0px;">
The photo trended online as netizens said it was unexpected that the Mindanaoan candidate, who was reluctant to run for president at first, won by a big margin in the May 9 elections against presidential candidates who have long expressed their interest in the position.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-NXmZcJiB2uWGZGYW_2VYH4CPOR9vC7AyBp_55WE6uIC6TOfBP0t9Nv6xEZlbvOqf2Zby22Io_2wRO0rpktxO8Nk12-W6B0J_8dF9iZvzZjHs-K5KIlPmej0R9xEv78bWZqSuCz-Xm4/s1600/duterte-072716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="https://go.ad2up.com/afu.php?id=774878" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-NXmZcJiB2uWGZGYW_2VYH4CPOR9vC7AyBp_55WE6uIC6TOfBP0t9Nv6xEZlbvOqf2Zby22Io_2wRO0rpktxO8Nk12-W6B0J_8dF9iZvzZjHs-K5KIlPmej0R9xEv78bWZqSuCz-Xm4/s640/duterte-072716.jpg" title="http://go.ad2up.com/afu.php?id=774878" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: franklin-gothic-urw, Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; padding: 10px 0px;">
<span style="font-family: , "arial" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"That is why I will not waste precious time dwelling on the sins of the past or blaming those who are perceived to be responsible for the mess that we are in and suffering from," he added.</span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="332" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c0PQq4tRXto" width="536"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
SOURCE: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/07/27/16/throwback-duterte-watches-pnoys-final-sona">ABS-CBN</a></h4>
<br />

De Lima damaging credibility of the Senate De Lima Walks out Duterte watches PNoy's final SONA GRACE POE OVP under Binay Sen. Grace Poe TBH: Duterte watches PNoy's final SONA

DAVAO CITY - At one point in former President Benigno Aquino III's final State of the Nation Address (SONA) exactly one year ago, three ...

<div class="caption" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div class="caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "roboto" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px;">Senator </span><span style="color: #737372; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Grace Poe</span></span><span style="color: #4c4c4c; font-family: "roboto" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px;">, chair of the Senate committee on public information, questions the guidelines on SALNs and congressional fund releases.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #737372; font-family: roboto, "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKfd02eP0NY9ZNUgoHPxHfBQ8VXIy0mkgax1J0lA6Xs7vG08qOBnpojDStUZWHRWKhBmn14NjeOl-4XfZ5uQmOEuyP0xA2nmlU3wGrQZn7tWV_q-EcwfZQr_XV-wvWErI4UgEorTeM80/s1600/Screenshot_35.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKfd02eP0NY9ZNUgoHPxHfBQ8VXIy0mkgax1J0lA6Xs7vG08qOBnpojDStUZWHRWKhBmn14NjeOl-4XfZ5uQmOEuyP0xA2nmlU3wGrQZn7tWV_q-EcwfZQr_XV-wvWErI4UgEorTeM80/s640/Screenshot_35.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #737372; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="color: #4c4c4c; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #737372; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #737372; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<i><b><span style="line-height: 1.5;">RESTRICTIVE RULES. Senator </span><span style="line-height: 1.5;">Grace Poe</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;">, chair of the committee on public information, urges Malacañang to reconsider 'restrictive rules' included in the exceptions to the Freedom of Information order signed by President</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5;">Rodrigo Duterte</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;">. Photo by Senate PRIB.</span></b></i></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 4px;"><br /></span>
<span id="ext-gen4015" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 4px;">MANILA, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe on Monday, August 29, called on Malacañang to reconsider the "restrictive rules" it has included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s </span>executive order<span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5;"> on <a href="http://www.rappler.com/nation/144566-grace-poe-foi-restrictive-rules#" style="background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #e76229; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s ease;">freedom of information</a> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5;">(<a href="http://www.rappler.com/nation/144566-grace-poe-foi-restrictive-rules#" style="background: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #e76229; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.2s ease;">FOI</a>).</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5;">The EO, meant to allow free access to public documents and information while awaiting a law to be passed, lists as many as 166 exceptions.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public information, authored the FOI bill that the Senate passed on 3rd and final reading in the 16th Congress, before Duterte became president.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
She urged the executive to re-evaluate the rules on the release of congressional fund disbursements and government officials’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs).</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
“While most of the draft exceptions are identical with those contained in my current version of the FOI bill that passed the Senate last 16th Congres…I wish Malacañang would reconsider removing the restrictive rules regarding the release of SALNs of executive officials,” Poe said in a statement.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
The draft manual prohibits the disclosure of SALNs if the purpose is “contrary to morals or public policy” or for any commercial purposes other than by news and communications media “for dissemination to the general public.” (READ: Draft FOI manual includes list of 166 exceptions)</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5;">“This restrictive guideline on SALNs appears contrary to the intent of RA 6713, not to mention its being inconsistent with the President's public pronouncement and intent to push for the relaxation of the Bank Secrecy Law concerning public officials.” Poe said.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
Republic Act 6713 is the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standard for Public Officials.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5;">Section 8 of the law states: “Public officials and employees have an obligation to</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5;">accomplish and submit declarations under oath of, and the public has the right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests.”</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
Poe suggested that the SALNs of executive officials be posted on their agency’s website for easy public access.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
“It would serve the spirit of transparency better if the SALNs of the officials will be posted on their agency's website for ready access by the public, with only the sensitive personal details redacted to protect privacy,” Poe said.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
The senator and FOI advocate also expressed concern over the exception which states that "government officials cannot be compelled to prepare lists and detailed reports on how congressional funds were disbursed."</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
“I also raise concerns on exempting the release of details surrounding congressional funds disbursements, which are patently public documents and of paramount public concern,” she said.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
The Senate is set to conduct its first public hearing on the FOI law on Thursday, September 1.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
SOURCE: <a href="http://www.rappler.com/nation/144566-grace-poe-foi-restrictive-rules" target="_blank">RAPPLER</a></div>
</div>

Sen. Grace Poe READ: Poe urges Palace to reconsider 'restrictive rules' in FOI order.

Senator Grace Poe , chair of the Senate committee on public information, questions the guidelines on SALNs and congressional fund releases...

WATCH: Piso, bumagsak sa pinakamababang antas sa loob ng 7 taon.

TBH: Duterte watches PNoy's final SONA

READ: Poe urges Palace to reconsider 'restrictive rules' in FOI order.