Proposed 2015 budget has an Open Data provision

MANILA, Philippines – Here’s something for advocates of access to information and open data to watch out for: the proposed budget law for 2015 that the President submitted to Congress has an Open Data provision.

Section 24 of the General Provisions in the proposed General Appropriations Act requires all government entities to “adopt a policy of openness for all datasets created, collected, processed, disseminated, or disposed through the use of public funds to the extent permitted by applicable laws and subject to individual privacy, confidentiality, national security, or other legally-mandated restrictions. Openness means that datasets published by agencies shall be machine-readable, in open formats, and released with open licenses.”

The budget proposal says the implementation of the provision will be subject to guidelines issued by the Open Data Philippines Task Force comprised of the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office.

The national government launched its Open Data Portal in early 2014. Rappler used data in the portal in its visualization of budget allocations from 2009 to 2014. 

Content of the portal remains very limited, however, as many agencies have failed to submit data in proper formats. Advocates have argued that a freedom of information law may be needed to force agencies to part with government data.  

If approved, the provision would have the effect of a law, albeit one that is only technically applicable to the year covered by the particular budget. – Rappler.com