Right to Information initiatives advance in Philippines and Ghana

Efforts to strengthen Right to Information (RTI) frameworks are progressing in the Philippines and Ghana, focusing on economic infrastructure and digital integrity.

In the Philippines, research conducted with the Makati Business Club highlights that insufficient RTI infrastructure creates economic costs for businesses. Challenges include scattered, outdated, or inaccessible data, which forces firms to absorb costs through advisory fees, delayed projects, and postponed investments. While both the House and Senate have passed RTI bills on third and final reading, the next step requires bicameral reconciliation to finalize the law.

In Ghana, the Right to Information Commission has announced a month-long program for September 2026 to mark RTI Month. Under the theme ‘Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age’, the initiative aims to address information disorder and promote access to verified information. Chairman Dr. James Asante emphasized that the program seeks to deepen public awareness of the RTI Act, 2019, to strengthen transparency and citizen participation in an increasingly digital environment.