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Philippines forms information and communications technology department

Xinhua, May 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Monday into law Republic Act No. 10844, which creates the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the DICT shall be headed by a secretary, who will be assisted by three undersecretaries and four assistant secretaries.

"The department shall be the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing and administrative entity of the executive branch of the government that will plan, develop and promote the national ICT development agenda," RA 10844 states.

According to the new law, the following agencies are hereby abolished and will be transferred to the newly created DICT: Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO); National Computer Center (NCC); National Computer Institute (NCI); Telecommunications Office (TELOF); National Telecommunications Training Institute (NTTI); and, all operating units of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) with functions and responsibilities dealing with communications.

With the creation of the DITC, the Department of Transportation and Communications shall be renamed as the Department of Transportation.

Coloma said the law provides for a six-month transition period from effectivity for the full implementation of the transfer of functions, assets and personnel. Endit