Latest news with #DepartmentofInformationandCommunicationsTechnology
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
EGov PH app to add new features
The government's flagship super app, eGov PH, is set to have new features to further boost ease of access to bureaucratic services. This was announced by President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). In particular, the eGov PH app will soon have additional features such as application and renewal of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearances, Beep Card integration for Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) commuters, and access to the Bureau of Internal Revenue's (BIR) electronic Taxpayer Identification Number (eTIN) system. The eGov app was developed to eliminate long-standing inefficiencies in public service—such as long lines, fixers, and repeat visits to multiple agencies—by delivering key government services through a single digital platform. Currently, the app allows users to renew driver's licenses, access PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and GSIS services, process immigration and customs documents for overseas Filipino workers, retrieve digital copies of the PhilSys National ID, create biodata for job applications and many more. The app also provides official government news and advisories to help Filipinos stay informed and avoid misinformation. Marcos has described the flagship app as a central pillar of his administration's efforts to bring government services closer to the people via digital transformation. Launched in 2023, the eGov PH app has so far recorded over 14 million registered users and facilitated over 200 million digital transactions nationwide. In his SONA, the President cited the app's growing global recognition, citing its receipt of the United Nations E-Government Award from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the 2025 GovMedia Digital Transformation of Year and E-Governance Project of the Year awards in Singapore—accolades that he said reinforce the Philippines' emergence as a regional leader in digital public service innovation. — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Former DICT chief warns of Konektadong Pinoy Bill risks
A former secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology has warned of the potential threats to national security posed by the Konektadong Pinoy Bill. Gregorio 'Gringo' Honasan II, also a former senator, said the measure lacks sufficient security mechanisms, particularly in safeguarding the country's digital infrastructure. Honasan was quoted in a statement issued by the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators who shares his concerns. He noted the absence of a clear legal process for national security vetting of Data Transmission Participants, saying the implementing rules and regulations alone would be inadequate to ensure proper scrutiny and accountability. 'Without a prior legally mandated national security vetting process in allowing DTP, the IRR alone cannot provide the necessary level of scrutiny and accountability,' he said. He added the bill also fails to adequately regulate foreign-controlled firms, especially in sensitive operations such as cable landing stations and satellite gateways. He also described the current provisions as overly lenient and lacking sufficient safeguards for critical infrastructure. Honasan further said the bill does not provide clear and legally grounded penalties for companies that violate regulations. Several groups have earlier urged President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. to address the risks found in the Konektadong Pinoy Bill, which is now awaiting his signature to become a law. Earlier this month, DICT issued clarifications to address the issues regarding the bill. It added that it welcomes public dialogue surrounding the measure. — AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Marcos vows nationwide internet access in public schools by end of 2025
'Napakahalaga ng internet sa ating pagtahak patungo sa Bagong Pilipinas. Kaya nitong padaliin at baguhin ang pamumuhay ng ating mga mamamayan. Hindi lang ito para sa may kaya, o para lamang sa mga bata. Ito ay para sa lahat,' said President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. during his SONA on July 28, 2025. Public schools across the Philippines should have internet connectivity by the end of 2025, along with the expansion of towers and cell sites in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. said Monday. In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Education (DepEd) are working to have all public schools connected to the internet. 'Napakahalaga ng internet sa ating pagtahak patungo sa Bagong Pilipinas. Kaya nitong padaliin at baguhin ang pamumuhay ng ating mga mamamayan. Hindi lang ito para sa may kaya, o para lamang sa mga bata. Ito ay para sa lahat,' he said. 'Halos labindalawang libong pampublikong paaralan pa ang walang internet. Kaya sinisiguro ng DICT at DepEd na bago matapos ang taong ito, magkakaroon na ng koneksyon sa internet ang lahat ng pampublikong paaralan,' he added. (The internet is vital in our journey toward a Bagong Pilipinas. It can simplify and transform the lives of our people. It is not just for the wealthy, or only for the young. It is for everyone. Almost 12,000 public schools still have no internet access. That's why the DICT and the DepEd are making sure that before the end of this year, all public schools will be connected to the internet.) 'Ngayong taon din, nagsimula na tayong mamigay ng mahigit isang milyong SIM cards na may libreng data para sa ating mga eskuwelahan, lalo na sa mga liblib na pook. At dahil pinaganda at pinabilis natin, dadami pa ang mga bagong torre at cell sites sa mga GIDAS. Ngunit kulang pa rin ang mga ito,' he said. (This year, we also began distributing over one million SIM cards with free data for our schools, especially those in remote areas. And because we have improved and sped up the process, more new towers and cell sites will be built in GIDAS. But these are still not enough.) Marcos in his speech also said the first three phases of the national Fiber Backbone project have already been completed, but agencies are working to improve coverage in GIDAs or areas that are physically and socio-economically separated from mainstream society. The National Broadband Plan Phase 1 involved the activation of 26 nodes from Laoag City in Ilocos Norte to Roces in Quezon City using the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines' (NGCP) dark fiber. Subsequent phases extended the network reach to connect to more regions across the country. With this, Marcos on Monday said there are now almost 19,000 free wifi sites across the country, up from just 4,000 in 2022. — RF, GMA Integrated News
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Access denied': Mumbai University can't see its digital infra as five staffers ‘protect' passwords; cyber audit hits a wall
MUMBAI: Five employees from Mumbai University's Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) have been holding on to the access of the university's digital infrastructure, including the IT systems, email systems, software, and servers, among other things, for a while. As a public entity, control of the university's entire infrastructure - physical or digital - is, by law, with the registrar. The university has written to these employees multiple times to seek handover of the access, but to no avail. A university representative said the employees, who had moved the industrial court against the university over unfair labour practices, have been claiming they have access to the digital infrastructure as network and system administrators of the university and have been carrying out their work as per norms and have withheld the passwords due to the confidentiality involved. The Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, mentions that the university's registrar is 'the custodian of records, the common seal and any such other property of the university as the management council may commit to his charge'. Moreover, the act also bestows on the university's management council the right 'to control and arrange for administration of assets and properties of university'. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai "There were reports of cyber attacks that were reported by a govt agency, following which the university had to carry out a probe. But as the administration did not have any access credentials, they could not carry out any audit or even implement preventive measures for cyber security," said a university source, adding the employees also have control over office-suite products used by the university. The employees, however, claimed that they have access controls by virtue of being the system and network administrators and that they are working in the varsity's best interest, said the source. They also said they filed a complaint with BKC police station after the university informed them about the cyber attacks and have extended help when required, the source added. The industrial court, in the matter filed by the four employees seeking permanency in employment along with all consequential benefits and arrears of salary, had ruled in an interim order on Nov 25, 2022 that prima facie the university 'had engaged in unfair labour practice'. The court also directed the university to not terminate services of the complainants without following due process of law till final disposal of complaint and also restrained it from appointing new employees through a private agency or directly in place of the complainants, apart from restraining it from changing existing service conditions of the complainants. While a senior university official said 'whenever necessary, the university takes and will take necessary action', messages and calls made to four of the employees went unanswered. One employee refused to disclose information but told TOI they are doing work as per the court's directive.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Access denied': Univ can't see its digital infra as five staffers ‘protect' passwords
MUMBAI: Five employees from Mumbai University's Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) have been holding on to the access of the university's digital infrastructure, including the IT systems, email systems, software, and servers, among other things, for a while. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As a public entity, control of the university's entire infrastructure physical or digital is, by law, with the registrar. The university has written to these employees multiple times to seek handover of the access, but to no avail. A university representative said the employees, who had moved the industrial court against the university over unfair labour practices, have been claiming they have access to the digital infrastructure as network and system administrators of the university and have been carrying out their work as per norms and have withheld the passwords due to the confidentiality involved. The Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, mentions that the university's registrar is 'the custodian of records, the common seal and any such other property of the university as the management council may commit to his charge'. Moreover, the act also bestows on the university's management council the right 'to control and arrange for administration of assets and properties of the university'. 'There were reports of cyber attacks that were reported by a govt agency, following which the university had to carry out a probe. But as the administration did not have any access credentials, they could not carry out any audit or even implement preventive measures for cyber security,' said a university source, adding the employees also have control over officesuite products used by the university. The employees, however, claimed that they have access controls by virtue of being the system and network administrators and that they are working in the varsity's best interest, said the source. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They also said they filed a complaint with BKC police station after the university informed them about the cyber attacks and have extended help when required, the source added. The industrial court, in the matter filed by the four employees seeking permanency in employment along with all consequential benefits and arrears of salary, had ruled in an interim order on Nov 25, 2022 that prima facie the university 'had engaged in unfair labour practice'. The court also directed the university to not terminate services of the complainants without following due process of law till final disposal of complaint and also restrained it from appointing new employees through a private agency or directly in place of the complainants, apart from restraining it from changing existing service conditions of the complainants. While a senior university official said 'whenever necessary, the university takes and will take necessary action', messages and calls made to four of the employees went unanswered. One employee refused to disclose information but told TOI they are doing work as per the court's directive.
