CIOs cite ICT procurement problems, issues

By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- The Chief Information Officers Forum (CIOF), an organization of CIOs from government and private institutions, identified concerns that delay the implementation of IT projects in the Philippines.

Those fail to succeed due to procurement issues are government projects related to IT or modernization. During a recent roundtable discussion on government procurement, some member CIOs pointed out reasons for such delays and came up with various papers citing the problems as well as coming up with suggestions to improve procurement.

The group met as part of the Information Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D) project, a joint activity of the Department of Science and Technology and the Canadian International Development Research Center. Its main goals are to bring together theses and case studies on the use of ICT for development and get policy recommendations and experiences.

During his presentation, Angelo Timoteo Diaz de Rivera, director general of the National Computer Center and officer-in-charge of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, pointed out that failed bids, delay in the release of funds, project modifications, change in project management and problems with service providers are among the main reasons why government IT projects are often delayed.

In most cases, these projects are recipients of millions of pesos from the e-Government Fund, a government-managed funding service dedicated to improving the government’s processes and speeding up services via the use of modern communications systems such as the Internet and mobile technology.

In his report, Diaz de Rivera revealed that between 2003 and 2006, P4.57 billion were released from the e-Government Fund for 36 projects. However, only five have been completed, namely the modernization system for the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Social Welfare and Development, as well as several projects for the sub-agencies of the Department of Science and Technology. The rest of the projects funded by the e-Government Fund are still ongoing, 14 of which are suffering delays due to procurement problems.

Diaz de Rivera also noted several concerns about procurement of ICT projects from the e-Government Fund, primarily the difficulty in preparing proposals. Another problem is the lack of support from other government agencies that also want to conduct their own IT projects.

Even when a budget is approved, procurement still remains a problem. Diaz de Rivera said there were issues of validity of fund utilization, incomplete release of budget from the Department of Budget and Management, difficulty in drawing up technical specifications without mentioning brand names, as well as difficulty in preparing terms of reference.

In fact, Diaz de Rivera drew up a longer list of reasons why projects are delayed or fail even when the budget has been approved.

In fact, the main reason for such delays is lack of project management skills, according to Duke Eustaquio, who heads business development at the Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center Inc.

In his presentation, Eustaquio noted that IT projects fail because of the misconception that new IT systems and the “end-all” solutions, adding that improving the business process of an organization must therefore be the focus of an IT system implementation.

Eustaquio said the use of an information systems strategic plan (ISSP) should be necessary to guide any institution on implementing IT projects.

“Implementing an IT system is not easy. Engaging the services of a Project Management Office (PMO) should therefore be one of the first activities in planning the implementation of an IT Systems project,” Eustaquio said.

Eustaquio advised that the project management team should come from another government agency to ensure that government interests are protected, because using project management teams from the private sector would only add another layer that the government needs to check, monitor and audit.

Some agencies still bid out their Internet connectivity requirements every year but Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) CIO Ma. Esperanza Espino said that Internet connectivity should be treated as a utility in the same manner as telephones. Multiyear contracting should be allowed for lowering the cost of using the service.

Espino also indicated that agencies should be knowledgeable about software they use especially with its different aspects such as licensing, customization and ownership. Agencies should also be ready for long-term sustainability of an IT project as initial purchase of equipment and services does not mean that there is no need for a follow-up investment in the future.

“To ensure the sustainability of the project throughout its intended life cycle, a mechanism should be put in place wherein the cost of maintaining an IT system after procurement and implementation phase is automatically added to the agency’s annual operating expenses,” Espino said.

“The procurement process for ICT should be made simple and adaptable to modern technology in order to ensure efficiency,” according to Lilia Guillermo, Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner and current CIOF President.

In her presentation, Guillermo said that Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, as well as its Implementing Rules and Regulations should be amended to address efficiency in procurement of ICT goods and services, consulting and infrastructure. Her approach is to treat IT projects the same way as business systems wherein services are rendered, paid for and discussed again as the need arises and in accordance to a signed contract.

Even CIOF member Cynthia Mamon, who is president of Sun Microsystems and the current president of the Information Technology Association of the Philippines, has offered help to train government procurement officers. She said the group is developing a curriculum on new technologies that procurement officers will encounter during implementation of IT projects.

Many government agencies have already benefited from funding, both from public funds as well as grants from foreign groups, to enhance their processes with the use of technology. Such projects have been done in the last 10 years with various levels of success but it was only in 2002 when the government announced the availability of a dedicated e-Government Fund. Still, it is not known when Filipinos would fully make use of such projects.

As Guillermo succinctly puts it: “With the help of technological expertise, a genuine commitment to change and the political will to implement urgent procedural reforms in the Procurement System as well as implementation of awarded contracts, the various government agencies are confident that the ICT framework for a future of service and commitment to the Filipinos will be in place and properly sustained.”

CIOs cite ICT procurement problems, issues

By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- The Chief Information Officers Forum (CIOF), an organization of CIOs from government and private institutions, identified concerns that delay the implementation of IT projects in the Philippines.

Those fail to succeed due to procurement issues are government projects related to IT or modernization. During a recent roundtable discussion on government procurement, some member CIOs pointed out reasons for such delays and came up with various papers citing the problems as well as coming up with suggestions to improve procurement.

The group met as part of the Information Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D) project, a joint activity of the Department of Science and Technology and the Canadian International Development Research Center. Its main goals are to bring together theses and case studies on the use of ICT for development and get policy recommendations and experiences.

During his presentation, Angelo Timoteo Diaz de Rivera, director general of the National Computer Center and officer-in-charge of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, pointed out that failed bids, delay in the release of funds, project modifications, change in project management and problems with service providers are among the main reasons why government IT projects are often delayed.

In most cases, these projects are recipients of millions of pesos from the e-Government Fund, a government-managed funding service dedicated to improving the government’s processes and speeding up services via the use of modern communications systems such as the Internet and mobile technology.

In his report, Diaz de Rivera revealed that between 2003 and 2006, P4.57 billion were released from the e-Government Fund for 36 projects. However, only five have been completed, namely the modernization system for the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Social Welfare and Development, as well as several projects for the sub-agencies of the Department of Science and Technology. The rest of the projects funded by the e-Government Fund are still ongoing, 14 of which are suffering delays due to procurement problems.

Diaz de Rivera also noted several concerns about procurement of ICT projects from the e-Government Fund, primarily the difficulty in preparing proposals. Another problem is the lack of support from other government agencies that also want to conduct their own IT projects.

Even when a budget is approved, procurement still remains a problem. Diaz de Rivera said there were issues of validity of fund utilization, incomplete release of budget from the Department of Budget and Management, difficulty in drawing up technical specifications without mentioning brand names, as well as difficulty in preparing terms of reference.

In fact, Diaz de Rivera drew up a longer list of reasons why projects are delayed or fail even when the budget has been approved.

In fact, the main reason for such delays is lack of project management skills, according to Duke Eustaquio, who heads business development at the Development Bank of the Philippines Data Center Inc.

In his presentation, Eustaquio noted that IT projects fail because of the misconception that new IT systems and the “end-all” solutions, adding that improving the business process of an organization must therefore be the focus of an IT system implementation.

Eustaquio said the use of an information systems strategic plan (ISSP) should be necessary to guide any institution on implementing IT projects.

“Implementing an IT system is not easy. Engaging the services of a Project Management Office (PMO) should therefore be one of the first activities in planning the implementation of an IT Systems project,” Eustaquio said.

Eustaquio advised that the project management team should come from another government agency to ensure that government interests are protected, because using project management teams from the private sector would only add another layer that the government needs to check, monitor and audit.

Some agencies still bid out their Internet connectivity requirements every year but Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) CIO Ma. Esperanza Espino said that Internet connectivity should be treated as a utility in the same manner as telephones. Multiyear contracting should be allowed for lowering the cost of using the service.

Espino also indicated that agencies should be knowledgeable about software they use especially with its different aspects such as licensing, customization and ownership. Agencies should also be ready for long-term sustainability of an IT project as initial purchase of equipment and services does not mean that there is no need for a follow-up investment in the future.

“To ensure the sustainability of the project throughout its intended life cycle, a mechanism should be put in place wherein the cost of maintaining an IT system after procurement and implementation phase is automatically added to the agency’s annual operating expenses,” Espino said.

“The procurement process for ICT should be made simple and adaptable to modern technology in order to ensure efficiency,” according to Lilia Guillermo, Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner and current CIOF President.

In her presentation, Guillermo said that Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, as well as its Implementing Rules and Regulations should be amended to address efficiency in procurement of ICT goods and services, consulting and infrastructure. Her approach is to treat IT projects the same way as business systems wherein services are rendered, paid for and discussed again as the need arises and in accordance to a signed contract.

Even CIOF member Cynthia Mamon, who is president of Sun Microsystems and the current president of the Information Technology Association of the Philippines, has offered help to train government procurement officers. She said the group is developing a curriculum on new technologies that procurement officers will encounter during implementation of IT projects.

Many government agencies have already benefited from funding, both from public funds as well as grants from foreign groups, to enhance their processes with the use of technology. Such projects have been done in the last 10 years with various levels of success but it was only in 2002 when the government announced the availability of a dedicated e-Government Fund. Still, it is not known when Filipinos would fully make use of such projects.

As Guillermo succinctly puts it: “With the help of technological expertise, a genuine commitment to change and the political will to implement urgent procedural reforms in the Procurement System as well as implementation of awarded contracts, the various government agencies are confident that the ICT framework for a future of service and commitment to the Filipinos will be in place and properly sustained.”

Solon sees uphill battle in pushing for FOSS bill again

By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- Bayan Muna Representative Teodoro Casino expects an uphill battle in the passage of a controversial bill that hopes to mandate government use of free and open source software (FOSS).

Casino said he has refiled House Bill 1716 after the bill was overtaken by the adjournment of the 13th Congress, which conducted at least one hearing sometime in December last year.

"This bill faces a stiff battle in the legislature. Just to illustrate, our e-Learning Center in Congress is paid for by Microsoft. The House leadership is planning to provide all Congressmen and women with free laptops, bundled with proprietary software, of course. They have the money and the pull to demolish or water down the FOSS bill," Casino said in a speech during the Software Freedom Day in UP Diliman, Quezon City.

The bill, which aims to promote the development and use of FOSS in the Philippines, faces strong opposition because it mandates government to migrate to FOSS and employ open standards in all its digital information and communication systems.

It also calls on private educational institutions to use and teach FOSS.

Section 5 of the bill indicates that the government shall use only information and communications technology goods and services that comply with open standards.

This provision also states that all government communication and data intended for public consumption shall be encoded in open standard data format, and that government shall apply only FOSS or FOSS solutions in all ICT projects and activities.

"When we were drafting the bill, we reached a crossroad on this issue. There were two roads to take: one, the well-paved road of 'free choice' which would allow government agencies free reign in choosing between FOSS and proprietary software; or two, the less-traveled path of making a clear, unequivocal choice for FOSS," Casino said.

"To tell you the truth, it was easy to decide where to go. Taking the well-paved road of 'free choice' would render our bill as nothing more than a promotional brochure for FOSS. After all, no amount of promotion or inter-office memoranda encouraging the use of FOSS can face up to the massive, multi-billion dollar, Hollywood-style glitz and glamour of proprietary software marketing," the solon said.

He said that the "less-traveled path of mandating FOSS would give the law the necessary tools and teeth to make that radical shift toward cyber freedom and democracy."

Casino believes that mandating FOSS use is more beneficial to government and the country.

"Truth to tell, the ordinary rank and file in a government office do not have the luxury of 'free choice' between Open Office and Microsoft. They simply use the software provided to them by the office. The default software is usually proprietary, like Microsoft, and the ordinary office worker will resist migration to FOSS, unless ordered to do so simply because it will entail the inconvenience of relearning what he or she has been so used to since college. When I was in college, what we used was Wordstar. Does anyone remember that?" he said.

The solon stressed that choosing which software to use for government is not a simple consumer preference issue.

"[It is] a policy issue that can't be left to each and every individual worker to decide. The FOSS bill is premised on the assumption that the use of FOSS is more beneficial to the government and the country, and so, in the exercise of government's right to 'freely choose' what is best for it and the country, we choose to use FOSS," he added.

Casino clarified that his FOSS bill does not prohibit the use of proprietary software in government.

Section 5.5 of the bill states that the use of proprietary software in "extraordinary circumstances where no FOSS equivalent meets the needs of a particular government agency or program."

Word processing, spreadsheet or Internet browsing applications are the most common software in government.

"I cannot see why we can't immediately migrate to Open Office. I've done it. My office has done it. The Supreme Court has done it. Many LGUs have done it already. But for specialized applications, the case can be argued that no equivalent FOSS can be had. But this has to be justified through an open, public hearing called for that purpose. So you see, 'free choice' is not at all hampered. We just want to make sure that free choice is also an informed choice," he said.

Yahoo! to launch Internet café program to grow RP community

Yahoo! to launch Internet café program to grow RP community


By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net


MAKATI CITY, Philippines -- Yahoo! Southeast Asia will launch a program for Internet café businesses in the Philippines to grow its community in the country, an executive told reporters Tuesday.

The Yahoo! program for Internet cafés aims to boost the Internet company's effort to build an "ecosystem" of users in the country, according to Jojo Añonuevo, head of Yahoo! business development of Southeast Asia, in an interview with reporters.

Añonuevo said that Yahoo! Southeast Asia will deploy a group of so-called Yahoo! Ambassadors that will encourage more Filipino users to join its community.

"You can't have advertising if you don't have a large community of users," the executive said, when asked how this strategy would figure in Yahoo! Southeast Asia's business.

There are now 12 to 15 million Filipinos living in the Philippines using Yahoo!'s services, said Jason Coates, Yahoo! Southeast Asia regional communications manager.

Noting that there remains a largely untapped market in the Philippines, Añonuevo stressed that Yahoo! is bent on going "toward more localization" of its services.

Yahoo! Southeast Asia announced recently in one online job portal that it was looking for an online community manager for the Philippines.

Coates said hiring a community manager for the Philippines is part of a global effort to bring more "relevant content" to Yahoo! Philippines portal, which was launched two years ago.

The executive said the online community manager will serve as an intermediary who is expected to be the eyes and ears of Yahoo! in the local community.

"With the Internet becoming social, it's the community that's going to drive it," he added, noting that several online community managers will be hired.

Meanwhile, Añonuevo revealed that there are close to a dozen Filipinos working for Yahoo! Southeast Asia.

Yahoo! puts SMS in email

By Alexander Villafania - INQUIRER.net

The Philippines will be one of the first countries to have an integrated short messaging service (SMS) from Yahoo! Mail email service as part of the expansion of its worldwide communications services.

The SMS system upgrade of Yahoo! Mail would allow users to send text messages to mobile phones initially to 25 countries, including the Philippines.

The Philippines was chosen to be among the first to use the service due to the country’s high text message traffic. Yahoo! cites National Telecommunications Commission figures stating that there are an estimated 500 million text messages being sent every day this year, compared to just 250 million in 2005.

There are at least 45 million mobile subscribers in the Philippines, according to latest estimates from the NTC.

The service is expected to be activated in two weeks.

Yahoo! partnered with wireless service providers Globe Telecom and Smart Communications for the Yahoo! Mail SMS upgrade. Users of the local Yahoo! Mail (ph.yahoo.com) can send text messages to Globe and Smart subscribers for free.

However, corresponding amounts of two pesos for Smart and 2.50 pesos for Globe are charged to replies to Yahoo! Mail SMS.

Mobile phone users have to first register their phones by typing their Yahoo! Mail username and password and typing the corresponding short codes for each of the telecommunications providers; 62580 for Smart and 2258 for Globe.

Incidentally, Yahoo!’s instant messaging client application already has text messaging features available. The company has yet to verify how the Yahoo! Mail SMS would work alongside the Yahoo! Messenger SMS service.

Yahoo! is still testing Yahoo! Mail Beta, an upgrade to its Yahoo! Mail Classic interface.

Yahoo! also faces competition from local online services company Chikka.com, which is also developing upgrades for its integrated messaging service that allows users to send and receive text messages through the Chikka client.

Village telephones: A waste of $137M

By Ma. Cecilia Rodriguez, Julie Alipala
Inquirer

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Before the National Broadband Network deal, there was the government’s Telepono Sa Barangay (TSB) project.

The TSB was a multimillion-dollar project started by the Commission on Information and Communication Technology (CICT) in the provinces of Mt. Province, Benguet, Abra, Apayao, Ifugao, and Kalinga, Quezon, Negros Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya and Misamis Occidental, including this city, in 1998.

CICT is an attached agency of the Office of the President.

Little attention

Unlike the NBN, the TSB project appears to have stirred little or no interest at all among national leaders.

Despite claims it was riddled with graft, the TSB deal remained untouched by either the House or the Senate.

And so, in the absence of interest among lawmakers, some local officials are taking the initiative to scrutinize the deal behind the TSB.

In this city, the P50-million contract for the installation of a telephone system in rural barangays have outraged opposition figures who likened it to the NBN deal.

Local plan

The project under the TSB here was conceived in 2003 under the administration of former mayor Vicente Emano and contracted to Supplier Contractor and Network Communications Inc. (Scantel).

Opposition councilors said that of the 50 barangays targeted for the project, only four have actually received the telephone systems.

City councilors Roger Abaday and Zaldy Ocon have openly criticized the deal, saying the awarding of contract to Scantel was highly irregular.

They backed their claim with the annual audit report for 2005 by the City Auditor’s Office (COA), in which it was said that city hall failed to comply with auditing procedures with regards to the contract.

No design

“The city general services office (CGSO) failed to completely and promptly submit to the office of the audit team leader the necessary detailed engineering documents for timely review and verification of the contract for the P50-million City Rural Telephone System,” the document read.

City auditors said for four years since 2003, they have been calling the attention of local officials to act on the audit report but to no avail.

The COA also questioned the disbursement of project funds, made at a time they were asking for a review of the contract.

In its report, the COA said as of December 2005, P31 million had already been paid to the contractor despite its failure to do its job.

In various radio interviews, Emano, who is now vice mayor, repeatedly denied any anomaly behind the Scantel project.

He said he was willing to be investigated.

Defective

But Abaday and Ocon said there was no need to look farther to determine that the deal was really irregular.

They said that in the four barangays where the project was delivered, defective pieces of equipment were provided, which rendered them useless.

In Salug, Zamboanga del Norte, local officials are also demanding an explanation from the national government over the fate of the multimillion-dollar TSB project there.

Salug Mayor Jesus Lim said they consider the TSB project “as souvenir, a display and orange elephant.”

Since 2000, 92 telephone booths had been installed in 23 villages of the town but residents have no use for them.

On its website, however, the CICT said that “all the systems are now operational in provincial levels.”

Dead phones

Lim said he did not know of any working unit in his town installed under the TSB.

“It’s an ugly orange sight sending a wrong impression to the people. These are all white elephants. These telephone lines are all wasted. The funds used for these units are also wasted,” Edgar Saldias, a Salug councilor, said.

The Inquirer tested some units in Barangay Mucas and found that none worked.

In Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte, 65-year-old farmer Sixto Lagala said in 2000, the phones were working when these were still newly installed.

Fortunata Postigo, an equipment operator for the Department of Transportation and Communication in Salug, confirmed that most of the units installed under the TSB project were not working anymore.

She said some working units were converted into “telepono sa kabahayan” so that residents could make use of them.

Postigo said with the installation of the lines intended for the phone booths to residences, they were able to provide communication facilities to about 200 consumers within Zamboanga del Norte.

Lapus on CyberEd project: It will make children learn better

By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net


MANILA, Philippines -- To dispel speculations of irregularities, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus has assured lawmakers at the House of Representatives that he would furnish them a copy of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the P26.4 billion cyber education project (CEP).

Lapus came prepared when he appeared before the committee to defend the P146 billion budget proposal of his department for 2008.

When opposition Congressman Rufus Rodiguez threw the first question about the project, the Education czar volunteered to make a presentation so he could thoroughly explain the project.

“What will cyber education achieve? It will make our children learn better. It will make the teachers teach more effectively” Lapus said.

“They will be retrained. The principals would be able to manage schools more efficiently. The schools will be online with management, with the division, with the region, and they’ll be online like bank branches,’ he said.

With the CEP, the government could save some 60 billion pesos, including P1 billion a year from teachers training, said Lapus.

Lapus also cited the 37, 794 public schools nationwide or at least 13 million learners, who stand to benefit from the project.

After seeking some clarifications on the implementation of the project, Rodriguez requested a copy of the agreement from Lapus, who promised to furnish the committee a copy as soon as possible