DICT explores digital cooperation with Belgium

DICT Undersecretary for Public Affairs and Foreign Relations Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo (left) with Ambassador Michel Parys, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines — As the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. seeks to accelerate the country’s adoption of digital innovations, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is working with fellow governments to advance digital cooperation.

DICT Undersecretary for Public Affairs and Foreign Relations Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo has met with Ambassador Michel Parys, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the Philippines, to discuss areas for digital cooperation, including on cybersecurity, digital ID, and satellites.

“We want to learn from digitally-advanced nations in terms of building and improving digital infrastructure, improving the public’s access to and the government’s delivery of public services through digitalization, and strengthening measures against cyber threats,” Lamentillo said.

Belgium has an eID, an electronic proof of identity that citizens can use for electronic transactions, such as signing electronic documents and securely logging in to online public services.

Among the priorities of President Marcos is fast-tracking the issuance of National IDs to make transactions with different government agencies seamless and more efficient.

Lamentillo said that the DICT, under the leadership of Secretary Ivan John Uy, is also exploring partnerships with other nations to help pursue the Marcos Administration’s Build Better More thrust, which aims to bridge the digital divide and improve the provision of public services through e-governance.