MANILA - Malacanang on Friday announced that the executive order on the Freedom of Information will be effective on November 25.

"The Executive Order granting public access to information about government transactions and operations will take effect on that date," said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella Friday.

• READ: Executive Order on FOI

Citing Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Abella said "this is a new task for fellow government workers as we continue to learn the ropes to be able to draft mechanisms that may improve efficiency because this results to promote transparency is a big leap for the country's progress."

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the EO implementing the FOI last July.

The order will cover departments and line agencies under the executive branch, including government-owned and -controlled corporations and state universities.

"The Freedom of Information has been in the pipeline for the past two, three decades and we'd like to take note that the president has taken the initiative to open up the Executive branch to FOI," Abella said.

Last September, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) have lamented the exemptions placed on the President's executive order in the executive branch.