Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) secretary Robert Joseph M. de Claro met with officials of the agency’s attached bodies during his first official visit to the department, outlining priorities for digital transformation, cybersecurity, data privacy, and telecommunications.
De Claro met with officials of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), National Privacy Commission (NPC), and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to discuss coordination among the agencies and the implementation of their respective mandates.
The discussions covered efforts to combat cybercrime, protect personal data, and ensure reliable and secure telecommunications services.
In his message to DICT personnel, De Claro stressed the need to use information technology to accelerate development, improve operational efficiency, and enhance public service delivery.
“The beauty of IT is that mas mabilis. We will use it to our advantage. We will make each day count from today,” De Claro said.
The DICT oversees government initiatives involving Internet connectivity, cybersecurity, digital platforms, and the modernization of public services.
De Claro’s appointment comes as the department continues to implement the government’s digital transformation agenda under Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Meanwhile, De Claro’s previous tenure as president and chief executive officer of the Social Security System (SSS) has drawn attention following reports of nearly P40 billion in unrealized stock investment losses recorded by the pension fund at the end of 2025.
A report by Bilyonaryo, cited by The Situation Report on Facebook, said the SSS recorded P39.994 billion in unrealized stock losses, up 245% from 2021, based on the Commission on Audit’s 2025 annual audit report.
De Claro assumed the SSS post in December 2024 after serving on the Social Security Commission’s risk management and investment committee. The reported losses accumulated during the tenures of four SSS presidents.
According to the report, COA questioned the SSS’s continued holding of declining securities without stop-loss limits that could trigger corrective action.
“The issue is not merely the existence of unrealized losses, but the failure to act on available governance tools and risk management frameworks designed to mitigate such losses,” COA said, as quoted by Bilyonaryo.
The SSS, however, defended its investment strategy, describing the P39.994 billion in unrealized losses as a “non-cash, market-driven accounting adjustment reflecting temporary price fluctuations, not mismanagement or policy deviation,” according to the report.
Unrealized losses reflect declines in the market value of investments that have not been sold. They do not necessarily represent final losses, although they can affect a fund’s reported investment position.
