DICT to get P5.2-billion budget next year

MANILA, Philippines — Some P5.2 billion has been allocated for the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) next year to speed up its rollout of interconnectivity and data security programs.

The allocation for the DICT was contained in the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020 submitted to Congress last week that President Duterte said was not only vital in expanding interconnectivity, but also in improving data security and ease of doing business in the country.

“We cannot underestimate the importance of the use of ICT in governance. ICT has revolutionized the way government transacts business with citizens, making it possible for its services to reach citizens wherever they are,” Duterte said in asking lawmakers to pass the proposed budget.

He said the DICT is mandated to push the administration’s ICT development agenda dubbed “One Digitized Government, One Nation.”

Of the amount, P1.1 billion will be used to install free WiFi in public places, which is mandated by Republic Act 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act enacted in 2017.

Some P280 million will be used to fund the installation of free Wi-Fi facilities in state universities and colleges while P196 million will be for the National Broadband Plan.

Around P295 million is needed for setting up the National Government Data Center (NGDC), which is envisioned to serve as the physical infrastructure that interconnects government agencies through centralized data centers, servers and storage facilities.

By consolidating government data centers, the NGDC is expected to allow the government to save on hardware and software procurement, operations and maintenance while increasing overall efficiency and IT security.