Mar Roxas: the CICT is too heavy-handed

Looks like we at DotPH aren’t the only ones who think that the CICT is getting too heavy-handed. Generally, my philosopy on IT is: don’t regulate it! Back in 1996 I marveled at how many ISPs were operating in the Philippines as compared with Singapore or Malaysia. The reason there were so many ISPs back then: because there were no government regulations barring ISPs! Philippine ISP service was clearly superior to that of our Asean neigbhbors. The Singnet people who operated Squid Proxy servers (to block websites - a necessary task mandated by the Singaporean Govt) seemed to know a lot less about Squid than, say, Migs Paraz of Iphil. We had about 150+ ISPs in 1997. Singapore only had 3 then, and Malaysia only had 2.

Today, only a handful of the original ISPs are left. The reason? Because many of the ISPs are blocked from offering the next phase of Internet Service: DSL, Cable, or Wireless access. One has to be a Telco to be able to offer DSL or Wifi/Wimax; a Congressional franchise is an expensive prerequisite. Getting a franchise to be cableTV operator is equally difficult as well. Too much government regulations can clearly stifle the IT industry.

I believe there is a great opportunity today for the local IT community to get into the Wifi and VoIP market. If only we could get the entire Metro Manila to be blanketed with Wifi. If only we could use these Wifi connections to make calls worldwide at 2c/minute. If only we could have phone numbers in the US or Europe that link directly to our DSL VoIP phones (or PABXes), so we can service these markets. These are real enabling technologies that the Philippines should have a head start in, yet it cannot because of myopic NTC/CICT regulations.

Do we need a CICT? I don’t think so. In fact, I think we need to significantly reduce the amount of government intervention already taking place in the IT industry.

Here is the Inquirer’s story on Mar Roxas and the CICT:

CICT chief answers Senator Roxas�s criticism

COMMISSION on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) Chairman Virgilio Pe�a said last week that the agency was not hampering the growth of the country’s information and communications technology industry.

Former trade secretary, now Senator Manuel Roxas had criticized the CICT for taking a regimented approach to the development of the Philippines� information and communication industry � saying that the CICT’s role in mapping the country’s ICT development strategy is “too much government intervention that might hamper the progress of this sector.”

Pe�a could not agree more with the lawmaker, however, stressing that the CICT is just an “enabler.”

“There is no intention to regulate or centralize [ICT development in the Philippines]. The [CICT�s] e-government and e-learning strategy is meant to support industry by generating demand,” Pe�a said in reaction to Roxas�s remarks.

Pe�a said he was “in the dark” as to why Roxas criticized the CICT and its role in the development of the Philippine ICT industry.

In an earlier interview with INQ7.net, Roxas said, “the CICT seemed to have taken a different approach. I sensed that they’re practicing [a] ‘command and control’ policy commonly found in the military. Their approach is very regimented and centralized.”

The vocal lawmaker publicly criticized the CICT and government ICT policy in an e-services forum last week.

Market forces had been dictating the industry�s direction, and growth went unhampered because government played only a supporting role, Roxas had said.

“We [at the Department of Trade Industry] then were cognizant of the fact [that] the private sector led the industry growth. We deliberately, consciously didn’t dictate upon where, how, who should do things. We just provided support,” the lawmaker said. The CICT should take on the role of an advisory body, he added.

When he was trade secretary, Senator Roxas co-chaired the Information Technology and E-Commerce Council, a group composed of private and public sector representatives.

An executive order signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo later abolished ITECC to give way to the CICT.