MANILA - Sen. Grace Poe on Monday said passing a freedom of information law will help the government curb smuggling. Speaking to radio DZMM, Poe said she is optimistic that the freedom of information bill will be passed into law in the first quarter of the year. She said she has asked fellow senators to push through with the interpellations of the bill in the soonest possible time. The senator said that once the law is passed, government offices are required to reveal non-classified information or face sanctions for violating the law. "The FOI may not be the answer to everything but it can fix some things," she said. Poe is also set to ask Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala why he has described as classified a list of accredited nongovernment organizations (NGOs) allowed to receive pork barrel funds for livelihood under the Department of Agriculture (DA). Poe said she will ask Alcala about the list amid reports that the NGOs are all linked to alleged pork scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles. The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas has been asking the DA about the list of Napoles NGOs. RADIO DZMM, January 20, 2014
