“I think it is a question of explaining what DICT is. It is merely meant to consolidate the Philippine e-government strategy,” said Virgilio Pena, chairman of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, an interim agency to the proposed ICT department, as he defended the creation of the new department. Senators Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and Manuel Roxas III have publicly opposed the DICT bill in separate occasions.
Magsaysay, who also heads the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, told INQ7.net in a previous interview that there were questions regarding the establishment of a DICT, especially at a time when the current administration is reorganizing its agencies in a major austerity program.
Magsaysay said that the general direction of the DICT bill of centralizing the direction of government ICT development could have various effects on the unique requirements of each national government offices.
The lawmaker was referring to the same arguments of Roxas who said that the DICT bill asks for a regimented and command-and-control approach toward ICT development in the country.
Pena said that both lawmakers might have misunderstood the intentions of the DICT bill.
“The DICT will integrate various government functions. But it will also use existing resources of agencies involved in the consolidation,” the CICT chief said.
He also stressed that the DICT intends to act as a coordinating body for all ICT-related projects and initiatives in government.
Magsaysay said earlier that government should focus on pushing for a more democratized approach in its ICT strategy.
Pena appealed to the Senators to be patient, although he admitted that there might be some “high expectations” about the proposed department.
“The creation of the DICT will help the country. I will compare this to the Department of Tourism, which was created to help government focus efforts to promote the country. I believe that ICT is a long-term strategy that the country needs,” Pena added.
While the House of Representatives has already approved the DICT bill, there are still no Senate versions of the bill.
Autor: Erwin Lemuel Oliva
Quelle: INQ7, 29.05.2005
