“Time is running out with the current Congress coming to a close,” said Roxas-Chua. “There are only five session days left to get these bills passed and they have to compete with many other bills. It’s going to be an uphill battle. But we are not giving up yet. Unfortunately, if we’re not able get these bills passed in the current Congress, they will have to start from scratch in the next one.”
The CICT has also been pushing for the Cybercrime Bill, which was submitted for approval two years ago.
The Philippines is one of the only countries in Asia which does not have a fully fledged department of IT. The delay to upgrade the CICT to the DICT has frustrated many government stakeholders, who see the DICT as a necessary step towards the Philippines becoming a world-class IT hub.
If the bill is passed, the DICT will focus on four key areas: supporting the ICT sector, pushing for e-governance, developing ICT skills and promoting universal access to ICT, Roxas-Chua explained. “Regardless of whether the bill is passed, the CICT will continue to focus on these areas and get as much done as we can before the term ends in June.”
The CICT Chairman added that the upcoming elections, which – if all goes according to plan – will be the first automated vote in the archipelago, has not helped the passage of the DICT bill.
“The elections are playing a big role in diverting people’s attention from the passage of these important bills,” he said. “We were hoping to get these bills passed last year before election fever started, but this is the situation we are in and we just have to make the most of it.”
However, Roxas-Chua is more bullish that the Cybercrime Bill will be made law. It is similar in framework to the Convention on Cybercrime of the Council of Europe, “so we are confident it measures up to international standards,” he said. “It will give our law enforcement agencies the much needed legal framework to apprehend and convict cyber criminals.”
Gloria Arroyo, the President of the Philippines, made a personal appeal to lawmakers to pass the DICT bill in the summer. It was the first time the President mentioned ICT in her address.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Robin Hicks
Quelle/Source: futureGov, 25.01.2010
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