The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) was hailed as the FOI Champion among Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) during the 2025 Freedom of Information (FOI) Awards held at The Bellevue Manila in Alabang on November 28.
SBMA took the top spot in the GOCC category, followed by the Philippine Guarantee Corporation (1st Runner-Up) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (2nd Runner-Up).
Representing SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, Office Services Department OIC-Manager and FOI Receiving Officer Jaime H. Menor Jr., along with FROs Angelo M. Mañalac and Randy D. Canlas, accepted the award—capping a banner year for the agency’s transparency efforts.
Aliño welcomed the recognition, calling it a strong affirmation of SBMA’s commitment to openness, proactive disclosure, and meaningful public engagement. He emphasized that transparency remains essential to effective and democratic governance.
The ceremony, themed “KALIKASAN: Knowledge Access for Local and International Key Actions on Sustainability, Accountability, and Nature,” highlighted the role of accessible public information in advancing environmental protection, good governance, and sustainable development.
In addition to the agency award, SBMA’s Randy D. Canlas was honored as one of the Best FOI Receiving Officers in the Philippines, recognizing his exemplary service in ensuring efficient, transparent, and citizen-friendly access to government information.
