The Department of Agriculture (DA) once again earned recognition as this year’s runner-up FOI Champion under the Department Category during the 2025 Freedom of Information (FOI) Awards held on November 28, 2025. This marks the second consecutive year that the DA has been honored as an FOI Champion, reaffirming its strong commitment to transparency and open governance.

The DA was acknowledged as one of the Top Requested Agencies from 2018 to 2024, underscoring the public’s sustained trust and continued reliance on the Department for timely and relevant agricultural information.

The DA’s FOI Team—led by Assistant Secretary and DA FOI Decision Maker Arnel V. De Mesa, together with FOI Receiving Officers Kristel Joyce Merle and Ira Y. Cruz—accepted the award on behalf of the Department.

Ms. Kristel Joyce Merle, Information Officer II of the DA–Agriculture and Fisheries Information Division (AFID), likewise received the Best FOI Receiving Officer Award, recognizing her outstanding efforts in advancing public access to government information. This distinction is her third FOI accolade since the program’s launch in 2016.

The FOI Program, established under Executive Order No. 2, series of 2016, mandates all government agencies to promote transparency and accountability by making public records and documents accessible. The DA–AFID leads the Department’s implementation and compliance with the FOI Program. ### (DA-AFID)