Foreign businessmen urge ICT department

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign businessmen are urging the Aquino administration to certify the proposed bill on the creation of the Department of Information and Communication Technologies as priority legislative measure this would be the vehicle to generate $23 billion revenues and create 1.5 million jobs by 2016.

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) said this with the resumption of the Congress Wednesday that started with Lower House approving a bill creating the DICT on the committee level.

The Aquino government has yet to finalize its list of priority bills and ECCP would like the DICT bill included.

With its passage at the Committee on Information and Communication Technology and Committee on Government Reorganization level, the ECCP now wants the Senate to file a counterpart bill.

“We urge the Senate to ensure the timely passage of a counterpart bill creating the DICT. The DICT can ensure the Philippines can be competitive in the worldwide IT industry which could employ 1.25 million Filipinos and earn $23 billion by 2016,” ECCP executive vice president Henry Schumacher said.

He added: “Given current developments in the ICT sector, it is vital that the Philippine government fully embrace it to support continuing rapid sectoral developments, including talent development and flexible work arrangements.”

The DICT will absorb the functions of the Commission on Information Communications Technology and the National Computer Center. It will also result in the spin-off of the Department of Transportation and Communication with the DICT absorbing all its communication related functions.

Moreover, the National Telecommunications Commission, Philippine Postal Corp. and Telecommunications Office will become attached agencies.

The DICT secretary will also be the chairman of the Council of Chief Information Officers which will have all government departments, agencies, and state colleges and universities as its members.

Under the committee approved bill, the DICT is mandated to develop a market-led broader development of ICT and its services sector, partnership between the private and public sector, strategic alliance with foreign investors, and balanced investments between high growth and economically depressed areas.

It will also be responsible for the technical training, scholarships, and the development and use of expertise in ICT and services in the country’s human capital to enable Filipinos to compete in the fast evolving information and communication age. –Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat, Manila Bulletin