DICT: A tool on defining PH’s future?

 
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DICT: A tool on defining PH’s future?

For the past years, Information and Communications Technology or ICT is becoming important for development and sustainability of many countries like the Philippines. Some researchers note that many countries have experienced vast changes that can be traced to Information and Communications Technology. Such changes have been recorded in various aspects of life, such as in trade and business, travel and lifestyle, education, communication and even in social services. In a world were in technology greatly commands everything, getting information quickly is very vital for both the sender and the receiver. Through Information and Communications Technology, information is distributed in a quick yet effective way. Seeing how ICT will become a major player in development, the signing into a law of Republic Act No. 10844 creating the Department of Information and Communications Technology is a milestone in the history of the Philippines for it will directs the country on how to prepare with the future.

In the Philippines, one of the most celebrated event in the field of Information and Communications Technology was the first access of internet by private corporations from 1991 – 1993. Multinational corporations used the internet to communicate with their mother companies in the United States. By mid of 1993, public e-mail access was made available via Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) and Philcom Internet stations, which allowed subscribers to connect mail using the American CompuServe as their internet service provider. Since then the use of Information and Communications Technology to different field becomes more in demand until the present when it became a powerful tool. In the book Internet 101 written by Rachel Kan she said that the exponential growth of the internet came after the passage of Republic Act 7925 or the 1995 Public Telecommunication Act of the Philippines. Under this law, telecommunication firm could offer “value – added services” without need of a congressional franchise. This has allowed various internet start– ups to establish their own Internet Service Providers (ISP). One shortcoming of the law, however were the ISPS became virtually unregulated communication that could complete with telecommunication carriers such as via voice over internet protocols (VoIP).

Republic Act No. 10844 or the “Department of Information and Communications Technology Act of 2015” was signed into law by then President Benigno Aquino III. Primarily the law recognizes the vital role of information and communication in nation building. The newly created department will ensure the provisions of strategic, reliable, cost – efficient and citizen-centric information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, systems and resources as instruments of good governance and global competitiveness; to ensure universal access to quality, affordable, reliable and secure ID services; to promote the development and widespread use of emerging ICT and foster and accelerate the convergence of ICT and ICT – enabled facilities; to ensure the availability and accessibility of ICT services in areas not adequately served by private sector; to foster and ICT sector policy environment that will promote a broad market – led development of the ICT and ICT – enabled facilities sectors, a level playing field, partnership between public and private sectors, strategic alliance with foreign investors and balanced investments between high-growth and economically – depressed areas; to promote and assist the development of local ICT content, applications and services which may include support for ICT-based start – up business enterprises through strategic partnerships; to promote the use of ICT for the enhancement of key public services, such as education, public health and safety, revenue generation, and socio – civic purposes; to encourage the use of ICT for the development and promotion of the country’s arts and culture, tourism and national identity; to promote digital literacy, ICT expertise, and knowledge – building among citizens to enable them to participate and compete in an evolving ICT age; to empower, through the use of ICT, the disadvantaged segments of the population, including the elderly, persons with disabilities and indigenous and minority groups; to ensure the rights of individual to privacy and confidentiality of their personal information; to ensure the security of critical ICT infrastructures including information assets of the government, individuals and businesses; and to provide oversight over agencies governing and regulating the ICT sector and ensure consumer protection and welfare, data privacy and security, foster competition and the growth of the ICT sector. In this act, Information and Communication technology is defined as the totality of electronic means to access, create, store, process, receive, transmit, present and disseminate information.

Seeing how it will work, we can say that the Department of Information and Communications Technology will be the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing and administrative entity of the executive branch that will develop, plan and promote the national ICT development agenda.

The main advantage of the creation of a new department is that the government will have a sole office that will already work on the field of information and communication technology. By this, the government will be sure that development and planning of programs for this field will be more effective with a systematic approach because it is already in one department. In the past, the field of communication is with the Department of Transportation and Communication (now Department of Transportation) while information technology is under different offices such as the Information and Communications Technology Office under the Department of Science and Technology  and some other multiple offices such as the National Computer Center, National Computer Institute, Telecommunications Office and the National Telecommunications Training Institute that are all under the executive department. Some existing government agencies will also be attached to DICT such as the National Telecommunications Commission, National Privacy Commission, and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center.  Reorganization or consolidating these offices to perform as one would also let the government save for its expenses, a provision of the law states that the newly created department will create an organizational structure as well as new divisions or units.  By the creation of this new department it is hoped that an intensive training to enhance the capability of our ICT personnel and resources should also be made for this department to become progressive. Some even says, that we no longer need a DICT since some agencies already has its own ICT program, but in some cases wherein ICT programs didn’t work well such as the automation or computerization of services of some government offices having a separate department will probably solve the problem. With DICT it also expected to improve the e – governance across the country, solve the problem on broadband service quality, strengthen cyber security, and more importantly it will ensure to make every Filipino a competitive one in the international arena since one goal of DICT is to strengthen the information and communications technology education as it states “formulate policies and initiatives, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), to develop and promote ICT in education consistent with the national goals and objectives, and responsive to the human resource needs of the ICT and ICT – ES sectors.”

The newly created department could probably solve the problem on slow internet connection in the country as it states as one of its power and functions to improved public access. The law states “prescribe rules and regulations for the establishment, operation and maintenance of ICT infrastructures in unserved and underserved areas, in consultation with the local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations (CSOs), private sector, and the academe; and establish a free internet service that can be accessed in government offices and public areas using the most cost – effective telecommunications technology, through partnership with private service providers as may be necessary.” However, there is no specific timeframe mentioned on when to address the particular problem. With more than thirty million internet users in the country, improving the internet connection should be a must and be given priority – a challenge to the newly created Department of Information and Communications Technology.  

Since a department is headed by a secretary appointed by the president, at first many thinks that political color might just be a consideration in choosing those who will lead the department. But the newly created law is clear in stating than no one can be appointed to be a secretary or even under secretary of DICT if he or she has no further experience related to the field - this point makes one of the great advantages of the newly created law. The new law provides that two of the three undersecretaries and two of the four assistant secretaries shall be career officers.  The only qualified to be appointed as secretary, undersecretary, or assistant secretary of the department are only those with “proven integrity and with at least seven years of competence and expertise in any of the following: information and communications technology, information technology service management, information security management, cyber security, data privacy, e – commerce, or human capital development in the ICT sector.” The presence of the newly created department might also be felt in the different regions as a provision of the law states that the department may establish, operate, and maintain a regional office as the need arises. The regional offices shall have within their respective administrative the following functions: implement laws, policies, plans, programs, projects, rules and regulations of the department; provide efficient and effective service to the people; coordinate with regional officer of other departments, offices and agencies; and coordinate with the different local government units. With the presence of regional offices, the mandate of this newly created department will be easily carried out and if a certain problem arises related to this field in a particular region in the country a quick response and eventually a solution will be easily applied. The regional offices could also a big help to identify particular ICT issues or problems that needs attention from the national government.

Another important feature of the law is that it recognizes the expertise of those who are not employed in the department. A provision of the law stated that the department may create sectoral and industry task forces, technical working groups, and advisory bodies or committees. A private sector representatives, such as from the academe, federation of private industries directly involved in ICT, as well as representatives from local government units and government-owned and controlled corporations may b appointed to these working groups. Government IT professional may also be tapped to partake in the work of the Department through these working groups. This is a welcome development since it will allow the department to be more open in planning and policy formulation with ideas of those who are really in the field who is more familiar.

It is now expected that with the creation of the Department of Information Technology, the field itself can offer real opportunities to improve the quality of community life – as more related ICT business and organization would emerge.

Primarily the only disadvantage I see on the newly created law is the separation and early retirement from service of employees who are with the agencies and offices that will be transferred and attached to the Department of Information and Communications Technology. Since the department will create a new organizational structure, a number of employees whose services is no longer needed might be terminated. However the law gave assurance to those who will be separated from service will be given necessary separation benefits “provided, that those who are qualified to retire under existing retirement law shall be allowed to retire and receive retirement benefits to which they may be entitled under applicable laws and issuances.” But for the meantime with the transition period, existing personnel shall continue to assume their post in holdover capacities until new appointments are issued.

With a very challenging tasks assigned to the newly created department, it is hoped that the government will allocate a competitive amount of fund to ensure that the department will fulfil its mandate. But it seems the government is not that really ready to put DICT on the limelight. On the latest budget hearing of the House of Representatives, it is revealed that an approximately 3 billion pesos is only allocated for DICT – figures that might not be supportive to the implementation of its mandate such as the improvement of public access and cyber security that requires more that a 3 billion pesos fund.  

In summary, as a country easily influenced by the advancement in technology a sole department that focuses its functions on information and communications technology is of a great advantage and a tool instrumental to easily achieved development. By this, a certain office will ensure the continuous upgrade of the two main braches of technology covered by ICT which is the computing and telecommunications. However, proper funding is required.