Business groups hail DICT bill

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine business groups and foreign chambers welcomed yesterday the passing at the legislative level of the bill aimed at creating a Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as they now eagerly wait for its approval in the executive branch.

“The Philippine business groups and joint foreign chambers would like to commend the Senate and House of Representatives for passing the bill to create a DICT. This very important bill will help position the Philippines as a world leader in this growingly dominant sector of the global economy,” the business groups said in a statement.

Business groups have long been clamoring for the creation of a new government body solely focused on developing the information and communications technology in the country.

At present, the business community believes the country is already a world leader in business process management, employing about one million young people in well-paying jobs.

“It must now position itself as a leader in all aspects of the IT world, as we know it can. So Congress recognition of this and the necessity of a Cabinet level department to ensure its coordinated development is most welcome,” the business groups said.

“We look forward to the President’s signing into law the creation of the department with a young dynamic leader, and the introduction of a supplementary budget in the 2016 national budget so the department can move ahead as soon as possible,” they added.

With the establishment of a DICT, the Philippines is expected to join the over 80 percent of countries worldwide which already have a dedicated stand-alone government bodies on ICT.

The DICT was a priority bill of Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

Philippine business groups behind the passage of the DICT bill into law include the Alyansa Agrikultura, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc., Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, IT and Business Processing Association of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc.

The Joint Foreign Chambers, meanwhile, include the 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, and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc.