CICT chief answers Senator Roxas’s criticism

COMMISSION on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) Chairman Virgilio Peña said last week that the agency was not hampering the growth of the country's information and communications technology industry.

Former trade secretary, now Senator Manuel Roxas had criticized the CICT for taking a regimented approach to the development of the Philippines’ information and communication industry – saying that the CICT's role in mapping the country's ICT development strategy is "too much government intervention that might hamper the progress of this sector."

Peña could not agree more with the lawmaker, however, stressing that the CICT is just an "enabler."

"There is no intention to regulate or centralize [ICT development in
the Philippines]. The [CICT’s] e-government and e-learning strategy is meant to support industry by generating demand," Peña said in reaction to Roxas’s remarks.

Peña said he was "in the dark" as to why Roxas criticized the CICT and its role in the development of the Philippine ICT industry.

In an earlier interview with INQ7.net, Roxas said, "the CICT seemed to have taken a different approach. I sensed that they're practicing [a] 'command and control' policy commonly found in the military. Their approach is very regimented and centralized."

The vocal lawmaker publicly criticized the CICT and government ICT policy in an e-services forum last week.

Market forces had been dictating the industry’s direction, and growth went unhampered because government played only a supporting role, Roxas had said.

"We [at the Department of Trade Industry] then were cognizant of the fact [that] the private sector led the industry growth. We deliberately, consciously didn't dictate upon where, how, who should do things. We just provided support," the lawmaker said. The CICT should take on the role of an advisory body, he added.

When he was trade secretary, Senator Roxas co-chaired the Information Technology and E-Commerce Council, a group composed of private and public sector representatives.

An executive order signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo later abolished ITECC to give way to the CICT.

By Erwin Lemuel Oliva INQ7.net