Government opposes creation of ICT department

MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino does not have any plan to convert the Commission on Information and Communication Technology (CICT) into a Cabinet department despite the vulnerabilities of some government websites.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said a new department would only entail more expenses for the cash strapped government.

Executive Order 269 creating the CICT was issued in January 2004.

“Once our revenues reach a point where we can afford a department, then that is when we will do so. But for now, we are focusing on the need for CICT to operate as an office under the Office of the President to perform its mandate,” he said.

Coloma stressed that government is not in a position to bear the higher administrative cost of creating a separate department.

Coloma said improving the security of government websites is needed as the Philippine Information Agency website was hacked the other week.

Agencies urged to fortify websites

Malacañang ordered all government agencies to fortify their websites to prevent hackers and other cyber criminals from victimizing state agencies.

Coloma said the government would have to invest sufficient funds to procure a more resilient and resistant software that would guarantee the security of government websites.

He said the websites of the different government agencies are vital channels of communication, thus the need to strengthen and secure them.

“When one channel or one link is down, then the entire chain is weakened. We simply would like to see all the sites up so that the chain is complete and we want the chain to be connected all the time,” Coloma said.

He said the communication chain is essential to the President’s advocacy of transparency since the various government agencies are contributing information to the President’s website.

Coloma said the hacking of the PIA website was not sufficient to breach the firewall of the website and it simply resulted in a temporary shut down of the website.

Blocking hate mails a mistake

Malacañang denied that it has totally banned negative views on the official website of President Aquino after the Aug. 23 Rizal Park hostage crisis because doing so will not do the government any good.

“It will be a self-defeating proposition. If we censor, then people will no longer be encouraged to share their sentiments. It will defeat the very purpose for which the website was established,” Coloma said.

“We welcome these criticisms because the website is a channel for outward communication, especially from our people to their government, and we certainly want to know the real sentiments of our people,” he said.

He clarified that what the Palace did was only sort out comments that are irreverent or disrespectful in nature.

“We are filtering only the profanity and the use of expletives because that is part of Internet protocol.”

“Cyberspace is a democratic space and in a democratic society like ours, there would be criticisms. There will not be unanimous agreement on all issues. Our President is a bearer of a legacy of freedom and democracy,” Coloma explained.

“His parents are well-known advocates of democracy and he’s also a foremost advocate of free expression. So he accepts criticisms,” he added, pointing out that this was in fact the brainchild of Mr. Aquino himself, who wants a feedback mechanism for his administration.

“You have seen him admit to lapses and express his determination to overcome those lapses and to improve the aspects of our government that need to be improved. That is the spirit in which these criticisms are being taken,” Coloma stressed.

As to the security of websites, he said the government’s entire website linkages have managed to keep its firewalls protected, as hackers have apparently breached only a layer of the whole security system.

“The initial report was that the hacking was not sufficient to breach the firewall. So it simply resulted in the temporary shut down of the website and they’ve been able to bring it up again,” Coloma explained.

“Our general guideline to all government agencies is to fortify or to improve the security of their websites,” he added.

Coloma said they have yet to pinpoint who the hackers were.

Reports said the hackers of the PIA and other government websites are alleged Chinese who were angry at the government’s mishandling of the hostage crisis.

Chinese characters have been posted all over the website. –Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star)