DOTr among top performers again
FOR the fifth consecutive year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) secured its position during the 2021 Freedom of Information Awards on 25 November 2021, as among the top-performing departments and national government agencies that excel in the area of transparency.
The DOTr which remains at the forefront of upholding transparency in government service through its full public disclosure and in promoting the right of Filipinos to information, bagged the second runner-up award under the Department Category for the year 2020.
Transportation Secretary Art Tugade stressed that communication and prompt response to FOI requests are necessary to build the people’s trust in the government, and to uphold the right of citizens to freedom of information.
“I believe in full transparency in government service, by upholding the right of the citizenry to freedom of information and full disclosure on matters of public concern. It is communication, it is the information, and the timely sharing that will set a good platform of dialogue,” Secretary Tugade said.
A testament to the agency’s commitment to provide the public with accurate, comprehensive and timely information, the DOTr was among the first government agencies to enroll all of its attached agencies and offices to the e-FOI portal.
To ensure a nearly 100% response rate and successful response to requests for information, the DOTr FOI team ensures a proactive approach in answering requests lodged via the FOI portal as well as redirecting those who make requests to the proper and concerned agencies not under the purview of the DOTr and its attached agencies.
The FOI Awards is an annual celebration to recognize dedicated FOI partners, including government offices in the executive branch, government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), and other program implementers and stakeholders.
The event aims to highlight the FOI Program’s user-friendly mechanism to access government data and records.
