In a joint statement on Thursday, several local and foreign business groups said that the passage of the bill that would create the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will boost the country’s position in a growing global IT market.
The groups have lobbied President Aquino to sign the bill. “This very important bill will help position the Philippines as a world leader in this growing dominant sector of the global economy,” they said. Millions of young Filipinos are employed in well-paying jobs being the world leader in business process management. When the President signs the bill into law, it will create the department with a young dynamic leader. The supplementary budget provided from the 2016 national budget can move the department forward into development. Senate Franklin M. Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., makes it a priority to push the bill for approval of the President.
Others who supported the bill were: Sen. Ralph Recto (Science and Technology), Rep. Romeo Acop (Government Reorganization), Rep. Susan Yap (Information and Communications Technology) and Rep. Isidro T. Ungab (Appropriations).
The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) said that the creation of this new department can make the Philippines a globally competitive business destination.
Benefits of DICT include:
- The execution of the following becomes more effective: e-governance, data protection and cyber security measures. It will also improve the government’s efficiency and strengthen reduction costs.
“E-governance can be implemented more effectively at a national level under a DICT. This will result in increased transparency, efficiency, clarity for foreign investors and a significant decrease in the administrative burden for companies which will in turn encourage compliance through easier processes,” according to JFC.
- More than 80 percent of countries around the world have a dedicated independent government organization making up the ICT. The Philippines will join these countries upon instituting DICT to become more globally competitive in the information and technology sector.
- As a driver for innovation, DICT functions to move the Philippines towards a modernized business processes. The department will help uphold the country’s leading position in the global IT business process management and knowledge process management industries, undertaking the responsibility to establish fundamental criteria to remain a global leader.
The following are signatories to the joint statement:
- Alyansa Agrikultura
- Chamber of Mines of the Philippines
- Employers Confederation of the Philippines
- Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.
- Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines
- IT and Business Processing Association of the Philippines
- Makati Business Club 8. Management Association of the Philippines
- Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc.
- American Chamber of Commerce
- Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce
- Canadian Chamber Of Commerce
- European Chamber of Commerce
- Japanese Chamber of Commerce
- Korean Chamber of Commerce
- Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc.
Source: Business Inquirer
