Role of the Youth in Pushing for a culture of FOI in the Philippines: The FYI Experience

FOI Youth Initiative, is a national network ofmore than a hundred Filipino youth andstudent organizations that call fortransparency, accountability, and participationin government through the immediatepassage of the People's Freedom ofInformation Act. It is the youth arm of theRight to Know Right Now Coalition.Established in 2012, it has been leadinginitiatives for the past 7 years in the pursuit ofpromoting a culture of FOI in the country.

Legislative Lobbying

Media Work

The FOI Youth Initiative (FYI), composed of 68 youth organizations nationwide, urged lawmakers to “cement its reputation as the House of the People that has successfully enacted relevant progressive legislation for the rights and welfare of Filipinos.”

“They shouldn’t stop now,” Carlo Brolagda, one of the convenors of the FYI, said. Brolagda said that “the House will fall short of fully gaining the people’s trust if they fail to pass the FOI bill.”

Chris Alquizalas, another convenor of FYI, encouraged young Filipinos to help in lobbying for the bill by engaging their representatives in Congress. “We have to make them realize that FOI is our issue too. We, young people, who will eventually inherit this government, want institutionalized mechanisms for transparency and accountability of public officials and offices,” Alquizalas said.

Groups press House to pass FOI billfrom the Philippine Star, 19 January 2013

Youth Mobilizations

FOI Practice

Ways Forward

FOI Youth Congress 2019

FYI 18th Congress

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FOI Youth Congress 2019

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Signature campaignFYI gathered signatures of support for the passage of a Freedom of Information Act during the Manila Improv Festival 2019.

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Student Council Partnership

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◉ College of Social Sciences and Development (CSSD) Student Council promoted FOI in their information desk and junior council application booth as they welcomed the opening of classes last June.

International Anti-Corruption Day

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◉ Representatives from the UP Economics Towards Consciousness, PUP Junior Political Economists' Guild and Economics Research Society joined the Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition's FOI Public Forum and Learning Event in celebration of the International Anti-Corruption Day.

R2KRN Coalition RTD PCOO Asec. Kristian Ablan, Rep. Alfred Vargas, Representatives from the offices of Rep. France Castro, Former Rep. Antonio Tinio and Sen. Grace Poe, Mr. Coco Alcuaz of Makati Business Club and FOI Youth Initiative

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FOI Youth Initiative joins the Right to Know, Right Now! (R2KRN) Coalition FOI Practice Round 5 Workshop for composite practice teams.

FOI Practice Round 5 Workshop

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Legislative Engagements

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◉ R2KRN) Coalition members FOI Youth Initiative, Action for Economic Reforms, ANGKOP, SENTRO, PRESO and Restorative

Justice Ministry visited the Office of Majority Floor Leader, Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of the 1st District of Leyte to manifest their support for the People's Freedom of Information (FOI) bills.

Legislative Engagements

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Legislative Engagements

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FOI Youth Initiative, CODE NGO, SENTRO, and Action for Economic Reforms of the Right to Know, Right Now! (R2KRN) Coalition in a meeting with partner advocates from the Offices of Sen. Sonny Angara and Sen. Ping Lacson.

𝗙𝗬𝗜,𝗙𝗢𝗜: 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼혂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮혁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮혁𝗶𝗼𝗻!As part of the 𝗙𝗢𝗜 𝗬𝗼혂혁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝗶혁𝗶𝗮혁𝗶혃𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽혂혀 𝗧𝗼혂𝗿, this focus group discussion was organized in partnership with the Economics Research

Society of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Launch of Campus Tour in PUP

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Malabon Youth Council1

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Navotas Youth Council for Youth Development 1

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UST COMACH 1

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Other Engagements1

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“

The youth are not mere beneficiaries of government services. You are citizens. You are

stakeholders. You are participants in the development of our country. This is why it is

important to have a formidable youth campaign for FOI.

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You can find us at:◉ @Youth4FOI◉ youth4foi@gmail.com

• Youth4FOI.blogspot.com• Youtube.com/Youth4FOI • bit.ly/youth4foi

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