House backs DICT budget, prioritizes digital governance, cybersecurity

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and its attached agencies successfully defended their proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 during House plenary deliberations on Tuesday, September 30, with FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-List Representative Brian Poe as sponsor.

Poe, Vice Chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, sponsored the DICT’s budget measure alongside Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Jose “Bong” Teves Jr. He underscored the urgency of passing the agency’s proposed budget, describing it as vital to strengthening the country’s ICT systems and advancing digital governance.

Minority lawmakers Reps. Sergio Dagooc, Roberto Nazal Jr., Antonio Tinio, and Renee Co interpellated Poe, raising key issues that the DICT must address. These included the quality of internet connectivity in public schools, the validation of service data, the rising incidence of cybercrime, SIM card registration, online safety, gender sensitivity, and cybersecurity preparedness.

Dagooc pressed the agency on internet access in public schools under the Free Public Internet Access Program. Poe responded that low-orbit satellites provide a minimum download speed of 5 Mbps and an upload speed of 1–2 Mbps.

“I believe the agency is open to flagging service providers because our goal at the end of the day is to provide the best services possible to the Filipino people,” Poe said.

Nazal, meanwhile, raised concerns over the hacking of government agencies. Poe acknowledged that outdated digital systems remain a major vulnerability.

“The concern is actually on the systems of the government agencies themselves. Many of these are quite old. The e-government app needs to prepare a cybersecurity team to bring our agencies up to standard before fully integrating,” the sponsor pointed out.

Furthermore, Tinio urged the DICT to reconsider its reliance on Meta’s infrastructure for the national broadband program, warning of implications for sovereignty and data protection.

Co flagged the surge of manipulated and AI-generated content during elections, warning of threats to democratic institutions and youth engagement.

“This is very close to the hearts of the youth because the leaders of the country now and in the future are the usual victims of AI-generated disinformation,” she said.

Teves rallied support for the measure, calling the DICT budget a “strategic investment in the Filipino people’s future.”

“This will lay the groundwork for a transparent, efficient, and inclusive digital Philippines,” Teves stressed.

As part of the Congressional Budget Amendments Review Sub-Committee, Poe also highlighted the ₱121 million increase allocated to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC). These amendments will expand the Cybercrime Response Center (CRC) from handling 6,000 cases under the FY 2026 NEP to 27,000 cases annually, supported by new digital forensics capacity and a mobile Cyber Incident Response Van for joint operations with law enforcement. The Cybercrime Complaint Center (C3), accessible through Hotline 1326, will likewise be strengthened as the main reporting channel for citizens.

“These investments in our cyber defense directly empower the government to act on complaints of illegal online gambling and other cybercrimes. By upgrading our monitoring and response centers, we are giving the public confidence that their concerns will not only be received but acted upon swiftly and systematically,” Poe said.

The proposed DICT budget seeks to expand nationwide connectivity, modernize government operations, strengthen digital skills development, and bolster the country’s cybersecurity defenses.