THE FOREIGN business community has renewed its call for the establishment of a Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), saying this will enhance the attractiveness of the Philippines as an investment destination.
In a letter to House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) cited the benefits of having a DICT, such as more effective implementation of e-governance, data protection and cybersecurity measures, as well as increased efficiency and reduction of costs for the government.
The creation of the DICT formed part of House Bill No. 4667, which remained “stuck in the committees,” according to Henry J. Schumacher, vice president for external affairs at the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc.
“We urge the House of Representatives to pass the corresponding measure of the DICT bill already approved by the Senate, with the objective to ratify the bill before the end of the 16th Congress. The establishment of a DICT will ensure that the Philippine business environment can enjoy the benefits of one more landmark bill before the end of the current administration,” the JFC said.
“In addition to our full support for the establishment of a DICT, we would like to reiterate that the foreign business community in the Philippines is wholly committed to actively supporting the implementation of a future DICT law, to ensure that the creation of a DICT translates into overarching benefits for the competitiveness of the Philippine economy at a regional and global level,” the group added in its letter.
Based on JFC’s letter to Belmonte, the group explained that in establishing a DICT, the Philippines will join the over 80 percent of countries worldwide that already have dedicated stand-alone government bodies on ICT.
The move will also help establish the necessary criteria for the Philippines to remain a global leader in the IT-business process management and knowledge process management industries.