MONCADA, Tarlac, Aug. 6 (PIA) -- Freedom of Information Project Management Office (FOI-PMO) now has 18 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) partners.

The partnership with SUCs include mainstreaming of the FOI in their curricula, involving students and students governments in asking questions from government, and using the eFOI tool programs as a research tool in libraries.

FOI Philippines Program Director and Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan said FOI-PMO believes in the important role of the youth in advancing FOI in the country.

"The youth should be the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be key agents for development," Ablan said during Thursday's episode of Network Briefing News on Radyo Pilipinas which was hosted by PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar.

FOI-PMO also offers various venues for youth to be one with the advocacy.

"Through FOI, our youth are given platform to participate fully in the activities of government and society," Ablan added.

In celebration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information 2020, FOI Philippines invites youth to send their entries in the FOI Multi Arts Festival 2020.

Multi Arts Festival 2020 aims to highlight the importance of FOI in the country through various forms and means of art such as literary and visual arts, incorporating Filipinos' unique identity and culture.

In his invitation, Ablan said this year's theme highlights the importance of youth in sharing information about health and education as part of the nation building.

"The celebration's theme, 'Access to Information: Saving lives, Building trust, Bringing hope,' aims to visualize through arts impact of proactive sharing of information on health and education, as well as of inclusive transparency initiatives for prosperity and sustainable development," Ablan said.

FOI Multi Arts Festival 2020 categories include essay-writing, poster-making, comics, photography, jingle-making, and public service announcement video-making.

Interested participants may visit https://m.facebook.com/foiph/ for more details. (CLJD/GLSB-PIA 3)