By HENRY EMPEÑO | December 8, 2025

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) topped this year’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Awards among government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) across the country, affirming the agency’s commitment to transparency and public engagement.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said the Subic agency was conferred the honor by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in a ceremony at The Bellevue Manila in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, on November 28. 

SBMA Office Services Department (OSD) OIC-manager Jaime H. Menor, along with fellow FOI receiving officers Angelo M. Mañalac and Randy D. Canlas, received the FOI award on behalf of the agency.

Canlas was also recognized in the event as one of the Best FOI Receiving Officers nationwide, placing him among frontliners who ensure efficient, transparent, and citizen-friendly access to public information.

The SBMA had released its Freedom of Information Manual recognizing the public’s right to information and detailing procedures for FOI requests under the administration of then Chairman Wilma T. Eisma, following the signing in July 2016 of Executive Order No. 2, which operationalized the State’s policies of full public disclosure and transparency in the public service. The 43-page manual was updated in 2023.

Chairman Aliño said the recent award confirmed the agency’s commitment to openness, proactive information sharing, and active public engagement. He added that transparency remains a cornerstone of effective and democratic governance in the Subic Bay Freeport.

The FOI Awards is organized by the Presidential Communications Office to recognize efforts in institutionalizing FOI, improving public participation, and ensuring data accessibility for sustainable development.

It honors FOI accomplishments in categories like Top Performing Agencies, FOI Champions, and Open & Transparent LGUs to promote accountability and digital access.

FOI in the Philippines is primarily implemented under E.O. No. 2, even as a proposed FOI Law is still pending in Congress. 