Group backs creation of IC Technology department

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign and Philippine business groups are pushing for the creation of a Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), citing that such as agency would help improve the country’s competitiveness. 

In a letter to Senate President Franklin Drilon dated Feb. 3, the business groups expressed support for the passage of the bill creating the DICT.

The letter was signed by the heads of the JFC and Philippine business groups Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Makati Business Club and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

The JFC counts the American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese and Korean Chambers in the Philippines and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Headquarters, Inc. as members. 

“We note that the bill creating a DICT is a ‘low-hanging fruit’ – legislation that has progressed in both chambers in the last Congress, but failed to pass. In the case of the DICT Act, it was passed by both chambers on third reading, but the bicameral conference committee was never constituted. Thus, we encourage the Senate to pass the version approved by the last Congress,” the groups said.

The creation of the DICT is overdue, with several countries having separate departments, ministries or agencies for ICT.

In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, member-states Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam have a cabinet level for ICT.

“Furthermore, DICT will raise the priority of ICT in the country to a higher level, improve e-governance, raise broadband quality, help strengthen our cyber- security, and improve national competitiveness,” the groups said.

The groups cited that the Philippine ranking in the United Nations E-government Development Index has dropped sharply over the decade since 2003 and is now rated 95 of 193.

A 2014 rating of broadband speed showed the Philippines at 3.6 mbps, making it the region’s laggard, while its neighbors had better ratings: Indonesia (4.1), Malaysia (5.5), Cambodia (5.7), Vietnam (13.1), Thailand (17.70), and US (22.3).