From the Website of MILF
BICTO director cites importance of digital connectivity, IT to accountable & transparent governance
Dr. Jonathan M. Mantikayan, Executive Director of the Bangsamoro Information and Communications Technology Office (BICTO- BARMM) underscored the importance of digital connectivity and information technology in supporting transparent and accountable governance during his guesting on Tuesday (January 11) to the 36th episode of Kaunlaran sa Bangsamoro hosted by BMN.
“The mandate of the BICTO shall be the primary policy, planning, coordinating and implementing body in BARMM for promoting, developing, and regulating the use of efficient and effective information and communication technology infrastructure, systems, facilities, and services to support sound, systematic, transparent, and accountable form of governance,” Executive Director Dr Jonathan M. Mantikayan of BICTO said.
Dr Mantikayan related that BICTO used to be under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and had transferred under the Office of the Chief Minister based on the Administrative Code.
“This Bangsamoro Information and Communications Technology is operationalized in accordance with Chapter III, Section I, Title III, Book IV, of the Bangsamoro Administrative Code which are the primary entity to streamline, manage, coordinate, and administer the implementation of major programs, activities, services, and projects, relating to ICT within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region,” he elaborated.
The guest speaker also shared the connection of the BICTO to the other ministries and offices citing, “We have under the Bangsamoro Economic and Development Council which we have ICT sub-committee on ICT Infrastructure under Infrastructure Development Committee.”
“The said ICT sub-committee focuses on all related to ICT in different ministries and agencies,” Dr Mantikayan added.
He also mentioned that the connection of BICTO to the different ministries are through direct or indirect connections with the IT personnel of the ministries and agencies.
“In fact we already have a meeting several times with different Information Technology officers of the different ministries and agencies,” he said.
“We have several consultations between IT officers in different ministries and agencies. The second consultation had participants from different CSO (e.g. LBO), this has a connection to the BICTO program that someday, hopefully, we’ll have our Bangsamoro E-government Master Plan, which we could call a first of its kind,” Mantikayan disclosed.
“Another thing in 2021, we have conducted a meeting for the formation of what we call Information System Strategic Plan (ISSP), which was based to the recommendation of the different IT officers of the different ministries and agencies that whatever they may aspire to implement related to e-governance won’t be realized if this ISSP won’t be in place. Because the ISSP contains the structure and without the structure the manpower for management won’t exists,” he further explained.
Dr Mantikayan added, “In the different consultations in 2021 we managed to come up with a paper that came up with the results of issues and challenges of ICT especially infrastructure in the BARMM. If we’re able to identify the issues then we’re able to come up with solution and intervention.”
“These issues are lack of access — connectivity while the intervention was the digital infrastructure. These digital infrastructure are satellite, tower, and fiber optic. These should be strengthened and be given attention,” he said.
“Number two is lack of government co-function and services. These ministries and agencies, we’ve evaluated it in the 2021, what are the status? Because if we say e-government it has something to do with website but it is still emerging. Some of the ministries doesn’t even have one. When you click it [website], it says ‘please come again’. So what’s important is for us to have an intervention of digital platform where ministries and agencies could develop database, systems and application.”
According to Dr Mantikayan the regional government shall move on to Digital Financial Services because market and efficiency, as he refers to transaction regarding financial services, is an intervention of the BICTO to the aspect of digital transaction.
“Bangsamoro Digital Transformation, this is a plan, strategy where it contains the details of all of the necessities to achieve digital transformation of the Bangsamoro. This is a step by step plan to be followed by the different ministries and agencies, hopefully,” he explained.
“This Information and Communication Technology is a huge help to the public sector. The first user of this are the private sectors…companies but through various studies and recommendations it was discovered it’s allowed to be used by the government, this utilizing of ICT.”
Dr Mantikayan added, “This is a tool to communicate, to store, disseminate. and so on. We cannot imagine removing this Information Communication Technology.”
“Through online we could convey to the public what is the movement of the government and what are its accomplishments,” he said.
MILF Website
Article links:
BANGSAMORO FRAMEFORK
http://www.opapp.gov.ph/sites/default/files/House%20Bill%20No.%204994.pdf
http://www.opapp.gov.ph/resources/house-bill-no-4994
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