Department of Information and Communications Technology Personal Thoughts

            Living in a modern era wherein technology is just around the corner and making everything just a click away, we must learn how to adapt with the changes that our fast pacing life is giving. Being able to use different forms of technological advancement, we will not be left out in this modern world. There are a lot of advantages that technology can give us. With the use of these technologies, we were able to make things and do things using only our fingers. It really made our lives easier. In addition to this, we were also be able get necessary information about everything that is happening around us.

            The Philippine government knows the importance of technology in information dissemination. That is the main reason why legislators and other government officials keep on thinking different laws in which technology is involved. They understand the importance of it not only in informing the people but also its vital role in attaining nation building. With all the laws that were passed by the Senators, this specific law acknowledges the contribution of modern technology in attaining the progress and development of the country. This law is the Republic Act 10844 or more commonly known as the Department of Information and Communications Technology of 2015.

            The Republic Act 10844 is an act that creates a new department that helps promote the importance of Information and Communications Technology or also known as ICT and its uses as well. This department will be known as the Department of Information and Communications Technology or the DICT. The DICT’s main purpose is to utilize the use of electronic gadgets and other forms of technology in achieving its primary functions as a department. The fundamental functions of the DICT is written under Section 2: Declaration of Policies of the said act. It states that:

“(a) To recognize the vital role of information and communication in nation-building;

(b) To ensure the provision 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;

(c) To ensure universal access to quality, affordable, reliable and secure ICT services;

(d) To promote the development and widespread use of emerging ICT and foster and accelerate the convergence of ICT and ICT-enabled facilities;

(e) To ensure the availability and accessibility of ICT services in areas not adequately served by the private sector

(f) To foster an ICT sector policy environment that will promote a broad market-led development of the ICT and ICT-enabled services (1CT-ES) sectors, a level playing field, partnership between the public and private sectors, strategic alliance with foreign investors and balanced investments between high-growth and economically-depressed areas;

(g) To promote and assist the development of local ICT content, applications and services which may include support for ICT-based start-up enterprises through strategic partnerships;

(h) 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;

(i) To encourage the use of ICT for the development and promotion of the country’s arts and culture, tourism and national identity;

(j) To promote digital literacy, ICT expertise, and knowledge-building among citizens to enable them to participate and compete in an evolving ICT age:

(k) To empower, through the use of ICT, the disadvantaged segments of the population, including the elderly, persons with disabilities and indigenous and minority groups;

(l) To ensure the rights of individuals to privacy and confidentiality of their personal information;

(m) To ensure the security of critical ICT infrastructures including information assets of the government, individuals and businesses; and

(n) 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.”

            To summarize all the functions of the said department, the department will provide a better, affordable, and reliable information and communications technology facilities, techniques, and strategies to accomplish its foremost objective which is to give us a well-improved and faster public service. With the creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, services of the government can be accessed online and the department will provide a better and faster internet services in which all of the public can use freely.

            All the duties, responsibilities, and functions are all written under the Section 6: Powers and Functions of the Republic Act 10844. The following powers are:

“I. Policy and Planning

(a) Formulate, recommend and implement national policies, plans, programs and guidelines that will promote the development and use of ICT with due consideration to the advantages of convergence and emerging technologies;

(b) Formulate policies and initiatives, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepED). The 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;

(c) Provide an integrated framework in order to optimize all government ICT resources and networks for the identification and prioritization of all E-Government systems and applications as provided from the E-Government Masterplan and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP);

II. Improved Public Access

(d) 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;

(e) 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;

III. Resource-Sharing and Capacity-Building

(f) Harmonize and coordinate all national ICT plans and initiatives to ensure knowledge, information and resource-sharing, database-building and agency networking linkages among government agencies, consistent with E-Government objectives in particular, and national objectives in general;

(g) Ensure the development and protection of integrated government ICT infrastructures and designs, taking into consideration the inventory of existing manpower, plans, programs, software, hardware, and installed systems;

(h) Assist and provide technical expertise to government agencies in the development of guidelines in the enforcement and administration of laws, standards, rules, and regulations governing ICT;

(i) Assess, review and support ICT research and development programs of the government in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and other institutions concerned;

(j) Prescribe the personnel qualifications and other qualification standards essential to the effective development and operation of government ICT infrastructures and systems;

(k) Develop programs that would enhance the career advancement opportunities of ICT workers in government;

(l) Assist in the dissemination of vital information essential to disaster risk reduction through the use of ICT:

(m) Represent and negotiate for Philippine interest on matters pertaining to ICT in international bodies, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and other institutions concerned;

IV. Consumer Protection and Industry Development

(n) Ensure and protect the rights and welfare of consumers and business users to privacy, security and confidentiality in matters relating to ICT, in coordination with agencies concerned, the private sector and relevant international bodies;

(o) Support the promotion of trade and investment opportunities in the ICT and ICT-ES sectors, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other relevant government agencies and the private sector;

(p) Establish guidelines for public-private partnerships in the implementation of ICT projects for government agencies; and

(q) Promote strategic partnerships and alliances between and among local and international ICT, research and development, educational and training institutions, to speed up industry growth and enhance competitiveness of Philippine workers, firms, and small and medium enterprises in the global markets for ICT and ICT-ES.

            With all of the powers and functions of the DICT as indicated above, there are some good points that the department includes in the said act. The first one that I want to point out is the Section 6.I.b. This function points out that the DICT needs to tie up with the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in integrating the information and communications technology (ICT) and its other related courses so that the students will be fully equipped with the knowledge of ICT that they can use when they are already working. With the implementation of this, those who were not unable to use technology or have a little or even no knowledge regarding ICT, will be taught while they are at school. This will be more convenient not only for the students but also for the agencies, which mostly uses technology as a part of their work nowadays.

In relation to this, as written under the Section 6.III.i, the department will also be in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to support the different researches regarding ICT. If they find these researches beneficial for the development of the ICT, the department will be the one to fund this researches so that the Philippines will use it.

Another thing that I want to personally point out is, Section 6.II.e of the RA 10844. This states that the department will provide a free internet access, with the help of private corporations, to different public places for the easier access of information and public services of the government. This is very helpful for those who do not have the access to internet. With these, the public can be able to use the internet without spending money. It will be less hassle for the people. The only problem that I can see in implementing this is, the department will need to provide a larger, steadier and faster internet connection that can accommodate or hold a large number of users. Another one is, the public will be using this for their own personal matters like using the social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube) and will not disconnect their phone connections so others will not be able to use it.

With all this advantages that the act can give the public, I also find some functions that can be a disadvantage for the Philippine government. It is the creation of databases in which all the files and important documents of the different agencies will be held by this databases. The disadvantage of this is, it will be easier for the hackers to hack this databases whenever they needed a confidential file that cannot be disclosed to the public. Hackers nowadays always find a way in entering the databases of the government like the Anonymous Philippines which always hacks the records of the government sites.

Even if this law was already passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, and was already signed by the former president, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, there are still other members of the higher and lower house who are against this act. In an article published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) with the help of ICT Committee Governor-in-charge, Mr. Donald Lim, conducted a forum with the theme, “DICT: Is It Really Necessary for Philippine Transformation?”

In this event, different representatives form different agencies and even members of the Senate and House of Representatives attended the event. This is an event in which everyone will be given a change to voice out their thoughts regarding the RA 10844. Mostly are against the republic act because, as they say, it will be another form of corruption in which they will be given budget and they will not use it. Another point is, other departments which have almost the same power as the DICT is doing a great job in implementing the use of ICT. Therefore, a new department will not be necessarily needed. In contrary, others also show support to the said act. They say that it will be a great chance for us to increase our income in terms of Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) which made the Philippines number 1 in this field.

Due to the creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, other departments with the same power as the new department. These are identified under Section 15 of the said act. These are the Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO), National Computer Center (NCC), National Computer Institute (NCI), Telecommunications Office (TELOF), and National Telecommunications Training Institute (NTTI). The Department of Transportation and Communication will also be separated and Department of Transportation will solely focus to its function of overlooking the transportation facet of our country. Other agencies will be merged to the DICT like the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), National Privacy Commission, and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC). All the said department will transfer all their files, records, equipment, and even personnel or employees who are eligible to the work provided by the DICT. All those employees who are not eligible and will be out of service because of this act will be given separation pay.

After this law has been signed by former President Noynoy Aquino before he leaved his position, we are all waiting for the implementation of the said act. By latter part of the year, this new department will emerge. Whatever this department can contribute to our country, as long as it helps the Filipino citizens and do not cause any problems regarding on money matters, the DICT will remain a department and perform its specific tasks. Change is the only constant thing in this world. May that be changes a good or a bad one, we need to adapt unto it. Let us just wait for the result of the department and hopefully, we are all praying that they will be able to perform all their duties and responsibilities.