Tuesday, 22 May 2012
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Central Government, Connected Government, E-Government
Philippine ICT commission dissolved
President Benigno Aquino III has issued an executive order to abolish the Philippine ICT agency and transfer its function under a department as part of the programme to streamline government bureaucracy.
Through the Executive Order 47 signed June 23, the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), an agency tasked to develop the country’s ICT policies, will be transferred under the Department of Science and Technology (DoST).
The new office will be named as the Information Communication Technology Office (ICTO).
Aquino likewise abolished the positions of the CICT chairman and the commissioners. ICTO will be headed by an executive director with the rank of undersecretary.
The CICT attached agencies—National Computer Centre and the Telecommunications Office—will also be transferred to the DoST.
EO 47 states that DOST is to prepare a medium-term development plan for ICT research and development, and its linkages to the ICT industry, and a medium-term e-governance infrastructure and information systems plan.
The CICT has unveiled its Philippine Digital Strategy (PDS) for 2011 to 2016 on Wednesday, a five-year ICT roadmap for the country. EO 47 came just as the country ended its celebration on June 30 of National ICT Month.
Former CICT chief Atty. Ivan John Uy said he has not received yet any notice about re-appointment as undersecretary to head the ICTO yet he remain positive about the order to transfer CICT to DoST.
“We welcome any development that will push the ICT agenda of the country forward. I’m sure President Aquino has his reasons for reorganizing his Cabinet,” former CICT chief Atty. Ivan John Uy said in an interview.
DoST chief Mario Montejo said he also welcomes the ICTO, which will be added DoST’s already many sub-agencies. He said he will study the CICT’s five-year Philippine Digital Strategy drafted under Uy’s term.
“The ICTO under DoST will accelerate the development of a connected government and integrate IT government systems under a unified platform. Consolidating all government ICT programs will likewise put an end to inefficient ICT projects that are disjointed or duplication of each other,” Montejo said in a statement.
The ICTO will streamline research and innovation in ICT to address issues such as cybercrime, disaster risk management, and environment protection, according to DoST.
Within three months, DoST will submit to Aquino a rationalization plan. Uy confirmed that he will be meeting Montejo to discuss the transition and study the parts of the ICT Roadmap for immediate implementation.
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6 Comments
On 6 July 2011 William Cris V. Artajo wrote:
In my opinion this will do more harm than good. There is a large disparity and a lot of information turfs between the have and have nots especially in the Local Government Unit perspective. I still believe that ICT should have a separate department under the office of the President and should have more mandates than it had as a commission. I am appalled by this move and it just shows the lack of vision of the leadership in this government. Putting it under DOST as an office it subtly telling every Filipino that ICT is not for us and that were are naive about ICT.
On 6 July 2011 William Cris V. Artajo wrote:
What a total disappointment! I am one of the contributors to the Philippine Digital Strategy (PDS)! What a waste of time!
On 7 July 2011 Braveheart wrote:
Ironically, I would imagine that last years Election was not an Automated and ICT-based poll because the champion being the first one that was elected through it didn't realized and prioritized the ICT. “just my opinion”
On 8 July 2011 dodards wrote:
Sad enough that the Philippines until now still doesn't have a Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), now this? Mr. President, Sir, please reconsider. We need to move forward in terms of ICT development, not the other way around. :(
On 17 July 2011 Raffy Pekson II wrote:
Last year, I wrote about Noynoy as the incoming President and his campaign promises affecting the BPO industry (see http://pekso…>
I didn't expect abolishing the commission and downgrading it from agency to office status was part of that promise. So, I totally agree with many who commented in this post that P'Noy's move was a wrong one.
Mr. President, please go back to your campaign promises. The Philippine ICT world is a direct market for the BPO industry, the latter of which continues to defy earlier pronouncements that India will always be the leader and China will follow soon. This year, the Philippines overtook India as the top “Call Center Capital of the World.” Estimates are that by 2015, the Philippines will be the top BPO capital, not just the call center segment.
Job creation? Foreign Direct Investments? You only have to look at the BPO industry and truly support it. There are other industries, i.e. tourism, but at least work with one that has consistently been growing for the past decade.
On 28 July 2011 Sandy Arbo wrote:
Dear Pnoy,
Did you know that through ICT your campaign slogan of ” Walang Corrupt Walang Mahirap” can actually be achieved?
It is through ICT that the systems and processes of government can be transparent so less corruption.
Through ICT the corruption will greatly be minimized because the information is wide open to the public for scrutiny hence no surprises. In other countries they implemented an ” Open Government” - This means all transactions are wide open for public scrutiny so you really minimize guessing hence act as a deterrent for corruption.
Through ICT government will spend less as it can motive agencies to move to a shared services environment. A shared services environment will save governments billions of pesos which can be re-channeled to more visible projects which the people can relate.
Lets look around what other countries have already done?
We are moving backward not forward? Restore CICT and please our legislators pass the bill creating a Department of ICT in the Philippines.