Palace appoints new CICT commissioner

By Erwin Oliva - INQUIRER.net

Veteran information technology professional Monchito Ibrahim who has been a consultant to the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) has finally been appointed as commissioner of the government body.

Ibrahim said he received his appointment papers Wednesday, and not Thursday as was reported earlier.

CICT commissioner Tim Diaz de Rivera confirmed this news earlier in a text message to INQUIRER.net.

"I will be in charge of the Cyberservices group, which takes care of the offshore and outsourcing industry," he said in a telephone interview. "Under this position I'm designated to take care of the Cyberservices corridor [project]."

The Cyberservices Services corridor is part of the super regions identified by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her 2007 State of the Nation Address. These strategic areas in the Philippines have been identified as priority areas by government for support. These areas are also the hubs of offshore outsourcing investments in the country.

Ibrahim said he is also currently involved in the development of regional ICT organizations to encourage growth in the provinces. Ibrahim has been tasked as officer-in-charge by CICT chair Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III who is leaving for the US soon.

Ibrahim said he has often been described as "acting commissioner" in the agency by his colleagues and staff because he has been actively helping the agency in his private capacity as a consultant since 2006.

The CICT is an interim policymaking body under the Office of the President, which is mandated to oversee the information and communications technology activities of government.