Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Saudi capital have expressed support for the senate’s plan to pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill before the end of this year.

“I and my colleagues support this bill because once it is passed, we are confident it will surely decrease corruption in the Philippine government,” John Hontiveros, a Riyadh-based Filipino educator, told Arab News. “Besides, it is our inherent right to know what the government is doing since we are under a democratic rule,” he added.

Gary Razado, another OFW working as an educator, agreed that if and when the bill is passed, it will help prevent anomalies and controversies.

“I believe that the immediate implementation of FOI will greatly benefit Filipinos all over the world especially in the public sector,” Ragado said. “For OFWs like us, it will make us more comfortable knowing where our hard-earned cash goes,” he added.

A number of senators and politicians in the Philippines recently proclaimed their intentions to implement the FOI bill before 2013.

House Speaker Sonny Belmonte assured the masses in his speech on Friday that the “FOI will be passed this year” since 27 out of 35 members of the committee already agreed to support it.

The Philippine Senate through its president Franklin Drilon announced Friday their intention to prioritize debates regarding the FOI bill which will begin Monday.

The FOI bill is one of the most sought-after laws in the Philippines. The bill will allow Filipinos to exercise their “right to know” by allowing access to government-held information such as where the taxes are being used.

Meanwhile, several OFWs told Arab News that they are hoping that FOI bill will be passed this year to reduce any form of corruption involving taxes.