Bangsamoro Information and Communications Technology Office (BICTO) Executive Director II Jonathan Mantikayan during the two-day consultation held Sept. 28-29 at Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.
MAGUINDANAO – Bangsamoro Information and Communications Technology Office (BICTO) conducted a two-day consultation, from Sept. 28-29, with BARMM ministries and agencies and some members of the academe sector for the formulation of the Bangsamoro E-Government Master Plan (BEGMP).
The activity sought to layout building blocks and strategies directed towards the development of BEGMP’s preliminary framework, and gather baseline assessment of ICT infrastructure of each ministry and agency, including the discussion of issues and challenges related to such.
Twenty-seven (27) information technology and communication officers from the regional government, and representatives of the same profession from Cotabato State University, Mindanao State University – Maguindanao, STI College – Cotabato, were present at the event conducted at Dar’ul Aman Suite and Function Hall in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.
Activity’s resource speaker Arnold Cararag, an expert in Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing, underscored the necessity of innovating a “digitally-transformed BARMM” as information technology is claimed as the backbone of the economy.
The creation of the BEGMP is aligned with the national EGMP 2022 , which serves as the blueprint for a harmonized government information system.
“The plan outlines the Department of Information and Communication’s (DICT) intent of developing the country’s e-Government systems through the digital transformation of basic services that cut across the whole of government,” Cararag said.
DICT defines e-Government (Electronic Government) as the use of information and communications technology and other web-based technologies to enhance access of information and improve delivery, efficiency, and effectiveness of service to the public.
Tuesday’s event was also the first BEGMP consultation of BICTO – a newly-created BARMM office under the stewardship of Executive Director II Jonathan Mantikayan, PHD.IT.
Mantikayan said that pursuant to their office’s mandate that is to formulate a BARMM-ICT integrated development plan, the consultation is the first step in realizing the Bangsamoro E-Government Master Plan.
“We try to develop a scope and a roadmap for BEGMP and it would be in several phases and processes. The BICTO leadership wants to have a sense of belongingness and sense of ownership for the IT profession, and after this, we would conduct consultation, workshop and Focused Group Discussions (FGDs),” Mantikayan said.
He emphasized that the crafting of an e-government plan is a multi-process development that takes years to actualize.
“We cannot still fix when will be the final product because it will go through processes. So, we must ensure that such processes will be operational so that we will have a ‘quality e-government system’ for the Bangsamoro constituents,” Mantikayan said.
Furthermore, BICTO expects more collaboration with other potential partner agencies and will reach out to more stakeholders to produce the blueprint of the BEGMP. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
