MANILA, (PIA) -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday will grace the 14th International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

This morning's event, which will also be attended by ICIC members from around the world, is being hosted by the Freedom of Information – Program Management Office of the Philippines (FOI – PMO), an agency under the Presidential Communicaitons Office.

The FOI - PMO joined the group during its 13th international conference held in the City of Puebla, Mexico in June of last year in a bid to sustain the momentum of facilitating the public's access to information.

Among the goals of the ICIC include the protection and promotion of access to public information; promotion of dialogue and mutual cooperation; and support the development and sharing of information and best practices, including peer learning among member states.

The ICIC also connects Information Commissioners, Ombudspersons and other bodies charged with overseeing the implementation of Access to Public Information legislation, in order to foster the protection and the promotion of access to public information as a fundamental pillar to social, economic and democratic governance.

It can be recalled that the ICIC first met in 2003 and has met regularly since then. In March 2019, the International Conference reached a milestone when it adopted its Governance Charter. The Charter was adopted by resolution on 13 March 2019.

Moreover, the Philippines, despite not having passed a Freedom of Information law, is the only Southeast Asisan country-member accredited by the ICIC in 2020, recognizing then President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's Executive No. 2 series of 2016 as a national policy on access to information. (PIA-NCR)