The DICTate of the Times

            The term global village has often been used to refer to an interconnected world where communication and convergence is made possible through one click, or one application, where we are no longer strangers and logistical boundaries are blurred.

            Thanks to technology, communication had been made very easy.  Telephones, internet, smart phones has made it easier for people to talk to even those who are on the other side of the world.  

            The need to be connected to people and the need to be updated  with what’s going on around us and in the lives of the people  that mattered to us made the Filipinos hungry consumers of Information and Communications Technology.  Cellular phones and laptops used to be exclusively owned and utilized by those in the business industry,  but today, nearly everyone has a cellular phone or sometimes even two, people have access to the internet and the computer has become as important as the light bulb in many households in the Philippines.

            During the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda, searching for surviving victims was made easier through technology, so did the appeal for help and calling out to their relatives to tell them that they survived.  Expressions of disgust or support to/for  certain administration/s were also made easier through the social media and the internet. The call to mobilize and act was also facilitated through technology. 

            In our country, communication was made more accessible, enjoyable and convenient and personalized through the investment of two major telecommunications companies – Smart and Globe.  They control majority of  the telecommunication lines and provide internet connections to 37.8% of our population.

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and is the Philippines’ leading wireless services provider with 68.9 million cellular and broadband subscribers as of end 2015.

Smart has built a reputation for innovation, having introduced world-first wireless offerings such as Smart Money, Smart Load, Smart Padala, and the Netphone. Smart offers 3G, HSPA+, and LTE services, while its Smart Satellite service provides communications to the global maritime industry( http://smart.com.ph/About/meet/corporate-profile).

Globe Telecom Incorporated is the number one mobile brand in the Philippines and the purveyor of the Filipino digital lifestyle. They provide cellular, broadband and mobile data services by focusing on enriching their content offerings amid customers' growing preference for multimedia platforms across multiple screens and devices( http://www.globe.com.ph/about-globe/corporate-info).

With the continuous development of communication technology and the continuous duopoly of the said companies, there is felt need for a governing body to set regulations or guidelines on the proper use of this technology to maximize its potential, develop the ICT industry and to make sure that infrastructure are in place for the maximum utilization of ICT and to make sure that the Filipino citizens get the total value for their money.  

The creation of the Department of Communication and Information Technology has been met with a lot of issues, one of which is on why there is need for such a new department knowing that its functions have already been designated to different offices under various departments. However, the issue is not whether there is a need for this department or not but an issue on how to make it function properly. Thus, during the Aquino Administration, the Department of Communication and Information Technology was made into a law last May 23, 2015. Its mandate is to be the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing and administrative entity of the Executive Branch of the government that will plan, develop, and promote the national information communication technology development agenda.  It is guided by its mission: 

To provide leadership, direction and coordination in the development, implementation and use of ICT for socio-economic development and for delivery of public service to digitally empowered citizens.

RA 10844 (Department of Information and Communications Technology Act of 2015)

states that:

 information and communication have vital roles in nation-building and that it is the state’s policy to ensure universal access to quality, affordable, reliable and secure ICT services. It should also ensure the provision of a strategic, reliable, cost-efficient and citizen-centric information and communications technology infrastructure, systems and resources as instruments of good governance and global competitiveness.

            The ratification of the Department of Information and Communication Technology into a law does not aim to control the use of communication technology but rather set up a common guideline and to make sure that there is continuity and consistency in its programs after this administration; like in the case of the Information Communication Technology Office under the Department of Science and Technology which with the enacted of the law is now house permanently in this newly- created department.  The Department has the following duties:

(a) To recognize the vital role of information and communication in nation-building;

(b) To ensure the provision of strategic, reliable, cost-efficient and. citizen-centric information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, systems and resources as instruments of good governance and global competitiveness;

(c) To ensure universal access to quality, affordable, reliable and secure Id’ services;

(d) To promote the development and widespread use of emerging ICT and foster and accelerate the convergence of ICT and ICT-enabled facilities;

(e) To ensure the availability and accessibility of ICT services in areas not adequately served by the private sector

(f) To foster an ICT sector policy environment that will promote a broad market-led development of the ICT and ICT-enabled services (1CT-ES) sectors, a level playing field, partnership between the public and private sectors, strategic alliance with foreign investors and balanced investments between high-growth and economically-depressed areas;

(g) To promote and assist the development of local ICT content, applications and services which may include support for ICT-based start-up enterprises through strategic partnerships;

(h) To promote the use of ICT for the enhancement of key public services, such as education, public health and safety, revenue generation, and socio-civic purposes;

(i) To encourage the use of ICT for the development and promotion of the country’s arts and culture, tourism and national identity;

(j) To promote digital literacy, ICT expertise, and knowledge-building among citizens to enable them to participate and compete in an evolving ICT age:

(k) To empower, through the use of ICT, the disadvantaged segments of the population, including the elderly, persons with disabilities and indigenous and minority groups;

(l) To ensure the rights of individuals to privacy and confidentiality of their personal information;

(m) To ensure the security of critical ICT infrastructures including information assets of the government, individuals and businesses; and

(n) To provide oversight over agencies governing and regulating the ICT sector and ensure consumer protection and welfare, data privacy and security, foster competition and the growth of the ICT sector.

With regards to policy and planning,  the law says:

 I. Policy and Planning

(a) Formulate, recommend and implement national policies, plans, programs and guidelines that will promote the development and use of ICT with due consideration to the advantages of convergence and emerging technologies;

(b) Formulate policies and initiatives, in coordination with the Department of Education (DepED). The Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), to develop and promote ICT in education consistent with the national goals and objectives., and responsive to the human resource needs of the ICT and ICT-ES sectors;

(c) Provide an integrated framework in order to optimize all government ICT resources and networks for the identification and prioritization of all E-Government systems and applications as provided for m the E-Government Masterplan and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP);

II. Improved Public Access

(d) Prescribe rules and regulations for the establishment, operation and maintenance of ICT infrastructures in unserved and underserved areas, in consultation with the local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations (CSOs). private sector, and the academe;

(e) Establish a free internet service that can be accessed in government offices and public areas using the most cost-effective telecommunications technology, through partnership with private service providers as may be necessary;

III. Resource-Sharing and Capacity-Building

(f) Harmonize and coordinate all national ICT plans and initiatives to ensure knowledge, information and resource-sharing, database-building and agency networking linkages among government agencies, consistent with E-Government objectives in particular, and national objectives in general;

(g) Ensure the development and protection of integrated government ICT infrastructures and designs, taking into consideration the inventory of existing manpower, plans, programs, software, hardware, and installed systems;

(h) Assist and provide technical expertise to government agencies in the development of guidelines in the enforcement and administration of laws, standards, rules, and regulations governing ICT;

(i) Assess, review and support ICT research and development programs of the government in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and other institutions concerned;

(j) Prescribe the personnel qualifications and other qualification standards essential to the effective development and operation of government ICT infrastructures and systems;

(k) Develop programs that would enhance the career advancement opportunities of ICT workers in government;

(l) Assist in the dissemination of vital information essential to disaster risk reduction through the use of ICT:

(m) Represent and negotiate for Philippine interest on matters pertaining to ICT in international bodies, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and other institutions concerned;

IV. Consumer Protection and Industry Development

(n) Ensure and protect the rights and welfare of consumers and business users to privacy, security and confidentiality in matters relating to ICT, in coordination with agencies concerned, the private sector and relevant international bodies;

(o) Support the promotion of trade and investment opportunities in the ICT and ICT-ES sectors, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other relevant government agencies and the private sector;

(p) Establish guidelines for public-private partnerships in the implementation of ICT projects for government agencies; and

(q) Promote strategic partnerships and alliances between and among local and international ICT, research and development, educational and training institutions, to speed up industry growth and enhance competitiveness of Philippine workers, firms, and small and medium enterprises in the global markets for ICT and ICT-ES.

The new law defines information and communications technology as “the totality of electronic means to access, create, collect, store, process, receive, transmit, present and disseminate information.”

When this was signed into law, it was hoped that government related transactions will be done faster and more efficiently.  Among the government-related functions which are expected to benefit from this is the processing of permits, licenses and titles since they can already be processed online. Long lines and endless cues will hopefully be a thing of the past.

The Philippines was among the first to adopt e- government incentives or policies that pushed for online processing of  documents so as to reduce processing time and hasten government processes  and services.  However, even if we stated early on as compared with other countries, we have fallen behind in the maintenance of online processing due to a lot of factors like lack of infrastructure, equipment and know-how.

The new office is also tasked with widening the use of IT throughout the country and is expected to make free internet available in public spaces and government buildings.  This department is not only tasked to provide internet access to more people but will also look into reasons why we have the most expensive internet service and yet it is also one of the slowest in Asia. Its aim was not to be the third player in the telecommunication business, providing faster and cheaper internet services to  more users, but to be a constant evaluator of the kind of services we receive from  the telecommunication companies hence sending a clear message to the telecommunication companies that even though they may be the only options that we have as of the moment, it is also their duty to NOT  abuse this duopoly. 

According to Department of Information and Communication Technology, Rodolfo Salalima, “The purpose of this is in effect to create infrastructure by government not necessarily for the government to compete with telcos, because the government simply cannot.”

It will also look at ways to improve IT infrastructure that is crucial to different sectors, notably Business Process Outsourcing Industry. The industry of the business processes outsourcing is one of the leading revenue earners in the country which is estimated to earn around 1 billion pesos by the end of 2017.  Through this law, infrastructure support and even legal support may be afforded the BPO industry to help it in its development thus creating more jobs.

The DICT is also mandated to formulate and implement policies that will promote the development and use of ICT, establish a free internet service that can be accessed in government offices and public areas, and protect the rights and welfare of consumers and business users to privacy, security and confidentiality in matters relating to ICT, among others.

The establishment of the Department of Information and Communications Technology has been long awaited since the country needs a powerful governing body to oversee the development of its ICT industry and infrastructure and to hopefully break the duopoly in the telecommunication industry or if not at least to make them conform to basic requirements. With its current leadership, a lot is expected from the department especially when it comes to providing better internet services.  It is hoped that the current administration will prioritize the ICT industry in terms of  budget allocation and policies.