Two technology organizations have called on the leadership of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to settle internal issues amid reports of operational and budget concerns affecting the government’s digital services, including the eGovPH platform.
In a joint statement issued on May 7, the National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines (NADPOP) and Philippine Computer Emergency Response Team (PH-CERT) urged the agency’s officials to “resolve internal differences constructively” and focus on sustaining digital initiatives and public services relied upon by millions of Filipinos.
The groups issued the statement following recent public posts and media reports that cited organizational tensions and budgetary constraints allegedly affecting operations of the eGovPH platform and other citizen-facing systems.
“DICT secretary Henry Aguda and undersecretary David Almirol Jr. both come from the information technology industry. We know them personally and recognize their capabilities and contributions,” said Sam Jacoba, founding president of NADPOP and vice president of PH-CERT.
“At this critical stage of the country’s digital transformation journey to be competitive in the Global Digital Economy, transparent collaboration, institutional stability, and good governance are essential. Any prolonged internal division within a key agency like the DICT can affect not only internal operations, but also public trust, service delivery, and the country’s digital transformation momentum,” he added.
Jacoba said disruptions or uncertainty involving digital government platforms such as eGovPH have direct consequences on Filipinos who increasingly depend on online government services for accessibility and efficiency.
Lito Averia, founder of PH-CERT and one of the advocates behind the creation of the DICT, said professional IT groups and communities of practice are prepared to help facilitate dialogue if needed.
“When the DICT was created, the vision was to accelerate national development through innovation, digital governance, and technology-enabled public service. That vision remains important today,” Averia said.
Carlos Titus Manuel, founding chair of NADPOP, also stressed the need to maintain public trust in institutions leading the country’s digital transformation efforts.
“The Filipino people expect government institutions to remain focused on delivering reliable, trustworthy, and future-ready public services,” Manuel said.
“We remain hopeful that the leadership of the DICT will work together in the best interest of the nation and reinforce the agency’s role as a pillar of innovation, digital governance, and public trust.”
The two organizations, through their joint initiative CyberBayan, said they remain committed to supporting programs related to cybersecurity, data privacy, artificial intelligence governance, cyber resilience, and digital trust.
