23 JULY 2026— The tenth anniversary of Executive Order (EO) No. 2, s. 2016, marks a decade of formalized access to information within the executive branch of the Philippine government. The issuance was a significant shift toward institutionalizing transparency, providing citizens and the private sector a mechanism to request public data. However, the scope of EO No. 2 remains restricted as it only covers the executive department and does not extend to other branches of government or local government units (LGUs). Furthermore, as an executive issuance, it remains vulnerable to revocation by any present or succeeding administration.

For the Makati Business Club (MBC), the case for Freedom of Information has always extended beyond governance. Access to reliable government information supports investment decisions, reduces regulatory uncertainty, and makes markets more predictable. These principles have guided the MBC’s advocacy for a national Freedom of Information law since 2009.

During this period, MBC joined the Right to Know, Right Now! (R2KRN) Coalition, which remains the country’s principal network advocating for the Right to Information Act. In 2014, MBC published CongressWatch Report No. 180, which detailed the legislative history and challenges of FOI bills in the 14th, 15th, and 16th Congresses. Subsequently, MBC released a 2015 research report titled “Freedom of Information: Institutionalizing Reform, Enhancing Competitiveness, Empowering the People,” arguing that transparency is essential for national economic resilience.

MBC’s work expanded considerably beginning in 2020 through its partnership with the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). What began as legislative advocacy evolved into a broader program supporting research, coalition-building, and practical transparency reforms. Working closely with the Freedom of Information Program Management Office (FOI-PMO), MBC helped develop and roll out a writeshop model that has capacitated more than 100 local government units on drafting local Freedom of Information ordinances—a model that has since been adopted by the FOI-PMO as part of its continuing capacity-building efforts. In addition, MBC has begun documenting the economic value of transparency through a series of Business Case for FOI policy papers.

This evidence-based approach has increasingly informed legislative discussions. During House plenary deliberations on the proposed Right to Information Act, House Committee on Public Information Chairperson Rep. Lordan Suan incorporated MBC’s recommendations on the business case for transparency into his sponsorship speech. The recognition reflected a broader shift in the national conversation—from viewing access to information solely as a governance reform to recognizing it as an economic reform that supports a more competitive investment environment.

MBC’s ongoing research continues to reinforce this perspective. Consultations with private sector representatives show that limited access to government information imposes real costs on businesses. Companies continue to devote significant resources to securing regulatory information through repeated follow-ups with agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. In some cases, firms rely on large teams of legal and compliance personnel simply to obtain government records or verify regulatory requirements that should otherwise be readily accessible.

Recent legislative developments suggest that the country’s decades-long effort to institutionalize access to information is entering its most significant stage. The proposed Right to Information Act has now been approved on Third Reading in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and will next proceed to bicameral reconciliation. If enacted, the law would establish a permanent legal framework that builds on the gains of Executive Order No. 2 while extending the right to information beyond the Executive Branch.

As the legislative process moves closer to completion, the conversation must also evolve. The experience of the past decade has shown that access to information alone is not enough when disclosure remains fragmented or regulatory requirements are interpreted differently across government. For the business community, the next challenge lies in implementation. The value of a Right to Information law will ultimately depend on whether it makes government information easier to access, more consistent to apply, and more useful for citizens and businesses alike. That is where MBC’s work increasingly turns its attention.