Ben Contreras  WHY there is a need for the bill on Freedom of Information (FOI) to be passed can be gleaned from one of the documents prepared by Councilor Elipe for the Mellow Touch program of Ronnie Waniwan. It was marked “transparency.” “Transparency” was supposed to be the top topic to be discussed. It was sidelined but it will be taken up again in the next encounter, if there would be one. Resolution no. 12069–2015 requests the City Accountant, the City Treasurer and the City Budget Officer through the office of the mayor to furnish the city council documents requested by different members of the body during an inquiry in aid of legislation. The city council requested for a breakdown of expenses contained in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income which has 19 items. The city council claims that its request has been continuously ignored. Finally, the mayor obliged with an answer, claiming that the personal appearance of members of the Local Finance Committee (LFC) gave “enough information since they readily answered questions within what is legal and mandated by law.” It continued: “What you are asking from us are beyond the legal parameters of the local legislative power and a clear manifestation of your encroaching into the field of executive domain.” If Elipe was a newcomer, I would have doffed my hat to him for what appeared to be a gallant act. But he is not. Like the rest of his allies in the Padayon Pilipino, he was silent and did not do anything about the same non-transparency issues that hounded Dongkoy Emano when he was running city hall. Going back, there are questions that cry for answers. As enumerated in the resolution, there really is a need to get some details. There are 19 items which the resolution is supposedly asking for more detailed explanations. Take item No. 1 on “Membership Dues to Organization” as an example. I suppose the LFC didn’t indicate to what organizations were the dues paid to. If such is the case, there is a lack of transparency here. Even in non-government organizations, one cannot just submit an accounting without details, much more with the government when the money involved is the money of the taxpayers. We lambasted Dongkoy Emano over his directive that no document should be released to anybody without his approval. We demanded of him transparency. Do we demand less from the Moreno administration? Let’s just say the city council majority has no moral ascendancy. But the fact still remains that public funds should be clearly and accurately accounted for with detailed and accurate reports and not with general terms like the ones presented in the resolution. The other items: consultancy services, accounts payables, rent expenses, training and traveling expenses, construction in progress, land/s and land improvements, IT equipment and software, real property, honoraria, other income, other assets, other structures, statement of appropriation, allotment and obligation balances as of 2013 and 2014, including continuing appropriation, general fund (trial balance, balance sheet, income statement and cash flow as of Dec. 31, 2013 and December 31, 2014), other maintenance and operating expenses, financial report, balance of trust fund, and its projects, special education fund, and Philhealth. Why is the city government not publishing its income statement? Would we get the answer soon? I doubt. Like the Anti-Dynasty Law, the FOI Bill will also see its demise. Transparency, you say? Dream on.