House passes measure creating ICT department

The House of Representatives passed on third reading House Bill 4667, creating the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), to develop and implement policies and government programs that would boost and improve the country’s competitiveness in the IT field.

Taguig 2nd District Representative Freddie R. Tiñga, chairman of the House ICT Committee, said the approval of the bill would solve the country’s need for a solid agency that would be focused more on the development of IT and modern communications facilities.

“ICT needs to have its own governing body to set new directions. We have to keep pace with the emergence of new technologies rapidly changing the world’s economic landscape,” Tiñga said.

The agency is expected to provide strategic, reliable and cost-efficient citizen-centric ICT infrastructure, systems and resources.

It will also seek to accelerate the convergence of ICT facilities such as the development of networks, ensure access and high-speed connectivity at fair and reasonable costs, including in areas not adequately served by the private sectors.

“It’s not just improving our competitiveness ranking. We need to recognize that ICT is an important catalyst for economic growth and job creation, a pre-requisite to parity in education, a necessity for good governance, a channel for a free and empowered media, and a means for poverty alleviation,” Tiñga said.