DICT’s mission: PH Digital Transformation

The Manila Times

DICT’s mission: PH Digital Transformation  Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan Uy enumerates his department's mission in the Philippines' digital transformation and in guiding the country into the fourth Industrial Revolution. Uy says the DICT’s primary concern now is establishing connectivity in remote areas nationwide. Uy highlights the importance of raising public awareness on cybersecurity and online hygiene. He also advocates bringing integrity back to public service.  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net    Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital    Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein   #TheManilaTimes  #PrimeTimes  #DICT

Transcript

00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:05 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Prime Time to the Trinilia.

00:08 Today, we are honored to have Secretary Ivan Uy,

00:11 the head of the Department of Information and Communications

00:13 Technology, as our distinguished guest.

00:16 Join us as we delve into the latest digital advancement

00:18 and policies shaping our nation's future.

00:21 Please welcome Secretary Ivan Uy.

00:24 Sec, before we delve into the questions of how you are gearing

00:29 the Philippines into digital transformation

00:31 and how you would be helping our Kababayans more

00:34 into this facet, I think our Kababayans would like to know,

00:39 what is DICT for you?

00:42 Well, DICT is the agency that is tasked

00:49 with transforming the Philippines

00:53 and guiding it from the Third Industrial Revolution

00:58 to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

01:00 So can we categorically say, Sec,

01:03 that this is a difficult job?

01:06 Well, it's an evolution.

01:08 Actually, it's a revolution.

01:10 It's a revolution.

01:11 And with any revolution, it requires a lot of change

01:15 in structure, in organization, in policy, in attitude,

01:20 in culture, and across all sectors.

01:25 And today's technological revolution

01:28 is something that is immense, something

01:32 that is on a scale that is unprecedented,

01:35 and on a depth that has never been, I think,

01:39 tried in the past.

01:41 So it's a very, very challenging job.

01:45 Speaking of policies, Mr. Secretary,

01:49 digital transformation is part of the eight-point socioeconomic

01:54 agenda of our president.

01:56 As the head of the DICT, what is your digital vision?

02:02 What can we say that hasn't been done?

02:05 How can you transcend it more into the transformation

02:09 that you have visualized when you were seated as DICT

02:12 Secretary?

02:13 What we've seen that has been lacking

02:16 is, well, first, connectivity, especially in the remote areas.

02:21 We have adequate connectivity in the urban areas.

02:25 But remote areas-- I mean, we are an archipelago

02:28 with more than 7,000 islands.

02:30 So we need to reach the farthermost islands

02:34 and mountainous regions so that they are connected.

02:39 Because without connectivity, then those communities

02:42 are isolated.

02:43 And when they're isolated, they're

02:45 not part of the economic development of the country.

02:49 So once we connect, then we provide them

02:51 with tools in order to be productive,

02:56 whether these are designing e-commerce platforms,

03:00 providing them with telemedicine services,

03:03 incorporating digital payments, online accounts,

03:08 so that they become active members

03:11 of the economic community.

03:14 They can have financial inclusion into our society.

03:20 And overall, bridge the digital divide

03:26 by allowing them now to participate in our economy.

03:31 So your answers provide a deeper understanding

03:36 about strategic collaborations and partnerships.

03:40 [SPEAKING IN TAGALOG]

03:45 Because you said earlier, there is telemedicine,

03:49 there is e-commerce, bridging any digital divide that

03:55 may be there before you went in.

03:58 Sec, how can we help strategically

04:02 with collaborations and partnerships

04:04 with other national agencies?

04:07 I think first and foremost is you've

04:10 seen our launching of the e-gov ph super app.

04:14 This is first of its kind in the country.

04:19 And we're very happy that we're garnering, actually,

04:25 accolades and kudos on that app.

04:28 If you go to Apple Store or Google Play Store,

04:32 we're ranking about 4.6, 4.7 out of 5 stars.

04:37 So our citizens, our countrymen, are happy with that app.

04:42 And what does that app do?

04:44 That app actually consolidates and simplifies

04:48 government transactions by allowing the public now

04:52 to go to a single portal and be able to engage

04:57 the government, access to various government services,

05:01 whether you're talking about your national ID

05:04 in a digital ID format or accessing your social security

05:10 benefits, your field health, your driver's license,

05:17 and many more.

05:18 Now, this is a new app, so it's constantly

05:22 evolving as we bring in more agencies into the app

05:26 and as we build more functionalities of each agency.

05:29 Because some of those agencies, not all of their functions

05:33 are available in the app, so only some select functions that

05:37 are front-facing.

05:39 So we've tackled those as low-hanging fruits

05:43 and provided them already in the app.

05:45 Now, then we help those agencies develop more of their services

05:50 so that they can add more services

05:52 to their agencies in the app.

05:56 So it's improving the systems of each agency or each department,

06:02 but at the same time, it's also expanding,

06:04 including more and more agencies,

06:06 including local governments, into that ecosystem.

06:11 So this ecosystem foresees our vision of a government that

06:20 doesn't sleep, a 24 by 7 government that doesn't take

06:25 vacation leaves or sick leaves, doesn't go on a weekend,

06:31 doesn't go on lunch break.

06:32 So 24 by 7 governance.

06:34 And I think that's a significant improvement to what we currently

06:40 have now, where as soon as Friday comes in,

06:45 all government transactions just stops completely,

06:48 and you have the whole weekend doing nothing.

06:52 So this is how we're trying to do it.

06:55 And of course, we're trying to do it face by face,

06:59 incorporating more features into the app as we go along.

07:03 So coming soon will be our e-gov pay system.

07:08 So you can now do also electronic payments online.

07:11 Oh, that's wonderful.

07:12 And that will basically complete the transaction cycle.

07:18 Because once you do the payment, then you

07:20 have the e-government receipts that are issued.

07:23 So it provides better accountability,

07:26 provides transparency, less opportunities for corruption,

07:29 because there are lesser opportunities for people

07:32 to meet face to face for transactions.

07:37 The illicit ones happen.

07:39 So you cannot bribe the machine.

07:41 You cannot coerce the machine to do something.

07:46 Before you became the secretary of the DICTSEC,

07:50 who was Secretary Ivan Uy?

07:51 You are a lawyer by profession.

07:53 But I think behind the technocrat,

07:56 behind the expert with digitalization

08:00 or digital acumen, who is Secretary Ivan Uy?

08:04 A husband and a father.

08:06 [LAUGHS]

08:08 So well, I--

08:10 The best jobs.

08:11 Yes, the best and actually the most fulfilling jobs

08:16 in the world.

08:18 And so as a husband, I have a very supportive wife.

08:23 She's an architect by profession.

08:25 And she's a very caring person as a wife.

08:32 And very, very supportive of our common vision,

08:40 not just for our family, but also for my personal view

08:45 on how I can personally contribute to society,

08:52 to the improvement of life in general.

08:57 So I've always been very keen on technology,

09:04 even before I became a lawyer.

09:06 So I've always been amazed on how science and technology has

09:11 been game changing in many aspects.

09:15 I'm an avid science fiction reader.

09:20 And I've read so many books on science fiction.

09:23 And many of them came true.

09:26 Those that were science fiction before are now reality.

09:31 So those books gave me the inspiration,

09:35 gave me the imagination that things are possible

09:40 if you work hard and if you have a good motivation.

09:48 Then you can redirect or direct those technology

09:53 into something that is beneficial for society.

09:56 It was written in the stars already, Sek,

09:58 that you would be contributing to the ICT

10:02 sphere of our country.

10:04 Sek, hearing that story that you've said,

10:10 you understanding you like fiction,

10:13 now let's go to nonfiction.

10:16 Because I'm sure not everybody thought

10:19 that our cybersecurity would be in one way or another breached.

10:24 Because nobody knew that much before, technology-wise.

10:29 Sek, as a lawyer also, how would the ICP,

10:33 together with your legal acumen, help

10:36 safeguard the cybersecurity of everybody,

10:39 including our kababayans who are in remote areas?

10:42 Because they, too, also have information out in the public.

10:46 And they, too, need the privacy and the protection

10:49 that the ICT would be giving to everyone.

10:52 Cybersecurity, just like any security,

10:54 is everybody's responsibility.

10:56 So it cannot be placed on the shoulder of a single agency.

11:02 I mean, even physical security, you have the police officers,

11:06 you have the security guards.

11:08 But it's your responsibility that when you go home,

11:10 you lock your door.

11:11 You put locks there.

11:12 You put steel bars on your window.

11:17 So because no matter how good your security guards are,

11:22 how good your police officers are, if you yourself do not

11:25 practice security, then you are opening yourself

11:29 to unlawful access or unlawful threats.

11:38 So that's the same thing in cybersecurity.

11:41 So despite all our efforts in installing the best

11:45 firewalls, the best security software there,

11:49 and having law enforcement, training law enforcement

11:53 on cybersecurity, computer forensics, all of those,

11:57 we need to make the public aware of cyber hygiene practices.

12:04 What do you need to be aware?

12:06 Don't click on links that you don't know.

12:09 Don't answer your phone if these are from numbers that are not

12:12 in your contacts, because most likely these

12:16 are scammers who just want to get information from you.

12:20 If you're being offered something

12:25 that is too good to be true, then it is too good to be

12:29 true.

12:29 It's a scam.

12:30 So remember, there's nothing free in this world.

12:35 So if somebody is offering you something free,

12:37 be aware that there's something behind it.

12:41 So they're after your bank account.

12:45 They're after your e-wallet.

12:46 They're after your credentials, whatever,

12:50 because you are the target.

12:51 You're the product.

12:52 So it should be an awareness.

12:56 And we have conducted a lot of awareness campaigns.

13:02 We have not been lacking in putting out

13:05 to the public scam alerts.

13:09 Yep, there are people who always are motivated by some quick,

13:15 get-rich-quick schemes.

13:17 And that's what the scammers, that's

13:19 what the cyber criminals target-- greed,

13:22 the gullibility of the public in believing that something

13:27 can be had without much work.

13:29 Yes, moving into a more positive light,

13:34 the DICT has been helping a lot of our kababayans,

13:39 either in SMEs, startups, innovation hubs.

13:44 Please share to everybody, Mr. Secretary,

13:47 how has DICT really put little businesses--

13:53 well, not little, but those businesses

13:55 who need assistance--

13:57 into the map?

13:58 Because not everybody had the opportunity

14:00 before to be included as part of the roster

14:04 of those growing businesses.

14:05 And DICT has been one of those who were bullish enough

14:09 to put them out there.

14:12 So how did DICT thought of it?

14:15 How did your leadership foster it?

14:18 Walk us through, Mr. Secretary.

14:19 The MSMEs actually comprise a huge majority of our economy.

14:25 And they're the backbone of the economy.

14:27 So during COVID times, a lot of them

14:33 closed down, mainly because they were brick and mortar,

14:37 and with COVID, a lot had to go online.

14:42 So those who evolved and adopted and moved quickly online

14:48 were the ones that survived.

14:50 Those that did not evolve became extinct.

14:54 And so you saw a lot of established restaurants

15:01 just close down, because they were not

15:03 able to make the leap towards online presence.

15:08 So with that, the COVID actually triggered a huge move

15:16 towards the online environment.

15:18 And many of the MSMEs were able to do that.

15:23 However, at the cost, and the cost

15:26 was in their speed in moving to an online environment,

15:31 they forgot about cybersecurity.

15:35 Because that was the least of their worry.

15:37 Their worry was survival.

15:38 Yes.

15:39 Their worry was survival.

15:40 And that's what we're seeing today.

15:42 Because there's so much now that are online presence

15:45 without the cybersecurity framework or investment,

15:51 the cybercriminals are exploiting those vulnerabilities.

15:55 So that's where we're helping them also

15:57 in developing capabilities to secure their system.

16:01 However, we are working with other government agencies

16:06 to do a digital marketplace for MSMEs.

16:11 Of course, you already have the commercial ones

16:13 that are available out there.

16:15 But we're offering them an alternative

16:17 where there's a government-run digital marketplace, where

16:21 they can provide their products, their services online.

16:25 And the system will handle their logistics, their access

16:32 to financial credit and marketing, and so on.

16:39 These are currently being developed.

16:42 And we will be incorporating it in our e-gov PH app eventually.

16:48 So it's a more complicated process, but it's ongoing.

16:54 At the same time, we are doing a lot of connectivity

17:02 in the remote areas.

17:04 So we have a project called the Smart Village, Smart Island

17:08 project, which we are partnering with the ITU, International

17:13 Telecommunications Union.

17:14 So they've identified the Philippines

17:17 to be one of the pilot areas where they see

17:20 this to be a strong enabler.

17:23 And what this does is--

17:26 well, we're piloting it in Sakul Island,

17:28 which is a very remote island in southern Mindanao.

17:33 It's out of Zamboanga City going towards Basilan.

17:37 And so that island has a population of 14,000.

17:43 And they've never had any connectivity.

17:45 So zero connectivity, four barangays.

17:48 And so I traveled there, actually,

17:52 during my first three or four months in office.

17:57 So I traveled there by boat and then came down.

18:02 There are no roads.

18:03 So we have to move by habal-habal, a motorcycle,

18:09 this tiny, tiny inland.

18:12 And we installed the telecommunications equipment

18:16 there, Wi-Fi, internet.

18:20 And you can see the impact immediately

18:24 as soon as you provide them with the connectivity.

18:28 The whole place suddenly becomes a flurry of activity.

18:32 People become more engaged.

18:36 Because give you an example.

18:38 That island is populated by our indigenous people,

18:44 Yakans, Tausos.

18:47 And they produce beautiful hand-embroidered fabric

18:53 that can be used for either clothing or for table runners.

18:58 Beautiful.

18:59 The patterns are exquisite.

19:02 But they do not have access to market.

19:05 So what they do is these villages, old lady

19:10 will do their embroidery, and then

19:14 make maybe a few dozen a month.

19:17 Then what will happen is for that month,

19:21 they will load that inventory into a boat,

19:24 travel two hours, spend 500 pesos to Zamboanga City.

19:29 To try and sell it.

19:30 Try and sell it.

19:32 Put up a stall.

19:34 Try and sell it.

19:35 Or they have a buyer who can do a barter.

19:38 They will exchange it for corned beef, or eggs, or dilata,

19:42 or whatever that they need.

19:46 Then they take the 200 or 500 peso--

19:50 Profit.

19:52 Yeah.

19:53 Well, they still have to spend on the bank to go back.

19:57 So there's nothing much left.

20:00 And then they also use that opportunity

20:03 to buy load so that they can communicate

20:05 with their relatives while they are in Zamboanga City,

20:07 because that's where they have the signal.

20:10 Because once they go back to the islands,

20:12 they don't have the signal anymore.

20:14 So they spend the whole day there to do so.

20:18 And then they do their bank transactions there.

20:22 Sometimes several days.

20:23 They have to stay in the hotel because--

20:25 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

20:30 It's in the city.

20:31 Yeah.

20:31 So they do everything there.

20:33 Then they go back to their village.

20:35 Yes, sir.

20:36 Sir?

20:36 Now, when we provide--

20:38 Yes, sir.

20:39 When we provide the connectivity,

20:41 now they can do it online.

20:43 Yeah.

20:44 And so then they can now have a digital bank

20:50 account or an e-wallet.

20:53 So they can now deposit and withdraw digitally

20:59 without leaving the island, whereas in the past,

21:02 they have to go to the Zamboanga City

21:05 to go to the municipal rural bank

21:08 in order to withdraw cash and to deposit the cash.

21:12 Yeah.

21:13 So now it's online.

21:15 And the access to market, because this person,

21:18 in the past--

21:20 I mean, before the connectivity, can only

21:22 access the Zamboanga market.

21:24 Now, because of online, we teach them--

21:27 Nationwide.

21:27 Worldwide.

21:29 So we teach them digital entrepreneurship skills.

21:32 We teach them digital marketing skills

21:34 so they can showcase their product to buyers in Europe.

21:39 And the buyers in Europe see how they produce it

21:42 because they're online.

21:43 Yeah.

21:43 They can see into their webcam how it's handmade.

21:47 Yes.

21:47 Literally handmade.

21:48 So the prices that they get for their products

21:51 is multiplied 10 times.

21:54 And so this old lady that started off

21:59 in a wooden shanty all alone, I would

22:03 expect that two years later, three years later,

22:06 when I go back, she's probably staying

22:08 in a much better building, not working alone.

22:12 Most likely now, she has probably

22:14 invited all her neighbors to come and work for her

22:18 in doing all of those and producing much more.

22:22 And then those products can be exported directly

22:26 through our logistics providers because our logistics

22:29 providers can ship it for them internationally.

22:33 They go there and pick it up from the island

22:35 and then ship it out direct to Europe.

22:39 I'm really glad.

22:40 And I really hope that old lady would have her own bigger home,

22:44 her own staff, giving job creation also.

22:48 And speaking of job creation, Mr. Secretary,

22:51 how has DICT helped out our economy in terms of job

22:56 creation?

22:57 Because number one, that line, "Teach a man how to fish,"

23:01 that line has already transcended all of the generations.

23:06 We need to learn.

23:07 So how can we help our fellow Filipinos?

23:11 And with the story that you just shared with Nanay,

23:14 I think it's a good opportunity for DICT as the head

23:18 for you to share.

23:19 How did DICT revolutionize digital innovation

23:25 to more job creation?

23:27 My example earlier, so this old lady who was embroidering,

23:32 today is a digital entrepreneur.

23:34 Yes.

23:35 And instead of working by herself,

23:37 she now hires a bigger team.

23:40 So the entire neighborhood benefits from her alone.

23:44 And you multiply it now across all the villages

23:48 in those areas, and then you multiply it.

23:51 That is just one island.

23:53 We're doing it in many other islands all over the country.

23:56 So the scale in which we are transforming

24:01 those remote communities that have been isolated

24:05 from the economy and now are part not just

24:09 of our national economy, but the global economy,

24:12 because they become productive members of society.

24:16 On top of that, of course, aside from teaching

24:19 digital entrepreneurship and digital marketing skills,

24:23 there are many others.

24:24 We have our program for developing the gig economy.

24:31 So we're encouraging and training people

24:36 to be online content creators, graphics designers, sales

24:46 and marketing.

24:47 The live sellers also included.

24:49 Yes, a lot of them.

24:50 And a lot of them are earning a lot of money

24:54 doing online selling.

24:56 And these were nonexistent jobs before.

25:01 But now they are generating income.

25:05 So these are income that the government never saw coming.

25:11 Nobody ever saw them coming.

25:14 And now they're contributing to the economy.

25:17 So on top of the gig economy, we are fostering also

25:22 our startup communities.

25:25 So people who have more innovation, we identify them.

25:30 And then we partner them with investors

25:33 to see if they are willing to put up the investments.

25:36 We give them the exposure so that the people

25:41 will see these innovations.

25:44 And we support them with some funds,

25:47 initial funds for startups.

25:49 And of course, we're also helping

25:53 many of the tourist areas develop

25:56 into what we call digital nomad centers.

26:06 Digital nomad centers, meaning these

26:08 are foreigners who does not need a regular office to work.

26:15 They travel everywhere.

26:16 So long as there's connectivity, they can work.

26:19 My mind is blown how DICT has helped out

26:22 with the facets of tourism, with the facets of smoother

26:26 transactions with payments.

26:28 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

26:35 But DICT really has helped out with these problems.

26:41 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

26:47 As a secretary of the DICT this past 2 and 1/2 years.

26:51 And I'm pretty sure there is some tumbles.

26:54 Many.

26:55 Right?

26:55 Many.

26:56 So can you please share to our kababayans what they were

27:00 and how you and our DICT family helped you remedy it

27:05 for our entire nation?

27:08 Sad to say, one of the big challenges

27:12 is indifference, especially among government employees.

27:17 A lot of our government employees

27:20 have grown weary in the bureaucracy

27:24 that they have become jaded.

27:26 They've become jaded.

27:27 And so many of them have this attitude

27:32 that, oh, you've been there for six years.

27:34 What reforms do you want to do?

27:36 After six years, you're gone.

27:38 You're sitting somewhere else.

27:40 So we're just going to dribble you until you finish

27:47 your six-year term.

27:48 So that's sad.

27:50 That's sad.

27:51 And we really need to inculcate or re-inculcate the value

28:01 and the honor of public service.

28:03 Yes.

28:04 Because I think that has been lost

28:06 through many decades of bureaucratic red tape that

28:14 has jaded our civil servants.

28:18 So it's classic.

28:22 You hear stories about the public going to a government

28:26 office, [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

28:30 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

28:38 So we need to really do some values reorientation in order

28:50 to bring up that pride, that pride that as a public servant,

28:57 we are there not because we are kings, that we are lords,

29:02 but we are servants to the people.

29:04 We get our salary from the people.

29:06 And therefore, we owe it to the people

29:09 to give them the best service possible.

29:12 So that's one.

29:15 Second is dealing with petty little lords that want

29:24 to establish their little kingdoms.

29:27 When we introduce all of these reforms

29:33 and cut across the different government agencies

29:36 by helping them fulfill their mandate,

29:39 helping them computerize, you will

29:41 meet people who will resist.

29:46 Who want to stay.

29:47 Yeah, as is.

29:49 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

29:50 Yes.

29:50 And will tell us in very clear words, stay away.

29:56 We don't need that.

29:58 You stay away from our turf.

30:00 We know what we're doing, and we want to keep doing it this way.

30:05 So you do it.

30:06 If you want to do any change, any reforms, anything,

30:10 you do it somewhere else but not here.

30:12 OK.

30:13 Not here.

30:14 And we have dealt with many of those in many departments.

30:19 In many departments.

30:20 Of course, sometimes I get to talk with the department head

30:28 because the department heads are very clear on the importance

30:32 of digitalization, the importance of the directives

30:37 of the president that we need to move forward in this area

30:40 if we want our Philippines to be competitive worldwide.

30:45 So the department heads are very clear.

30:47 It's just when you go down to the mid-level executives

30:51 that you start encountering--

30:52 Resistance.

30:53 Yeah.

30:54 And the resistance can be quite fierce.

30:57 And so sometimes the heads of agencies

31:02 are not able to do much because these are either protected

31:10 by the civil service or many other issues that cover them.

31:16 So coming in the DICT, we only have so much time

31:24 to do a lot of things.

31:26 So instead of getting bogged down with organizations

31:30 that do not want change, we'd rather devote our time

31:34 to organizations that want--

31:36 That welcome it.

31:37 That welcome it.

31:38 And then let's tackle all of those first.

31:42 Then maybe on our fifth year or sixth year,

31:45 if we still have spare time, then maybe

31:49 if these agencies are finally convinced

31:52 that they'll be left behind if they don't come on board,

31:55 then maybe we can do something about them.

31:57 If not, then after our administration is gone,

32:00 then they will just be there on the sidelines.

32:03 They won't be part of the Philippine story,

32:08 of the Bagong Pilipinas story.

32:09 I've read a lot of articles reflecting what you have said

32:14 during your speeches, during your talks.

32:17 And there was one line that really got to me.

32:20 And I think any public servant leader who really would want

32:25 to stay in government and contribute heavily

32:29 on the advancement of the Philippines

32:31 would really emulate from this.

32:33 And your line was, "No Filipino should be left behind."

32:39 And I really love that because, [SPEAKING IN TAGALOG]

32:43 And with that line, Sec, please explain to our kababayans

32:48 or tell your story.

32:51 What is a lifelong lesson that you have learned and ruminated

32:59 during your tenure as a secretary this past 2 and 1/2

33:04 years?

33:04 [SPEAKING IN TAGALOG]

33:07 I've met a lot of heads of agencies

33:10 and [SPEAKING IN TAGALOG]

33:12 So stress.

33:13 But hearing the story about Nanay,

33:17 hearing about stories about job generation

33:20 really brought a positive light to the line

33:22 that you've always said, "No Filipino should be left behind."

33:28 What is one journey or one life lesson

33:30 that you would want to share with our viewers, subscribers,

33:35 and our kababayans?

33:37 Walk us through it again, Sec.

33:40 We all have to realize that we only have one life.

33:46 And it's a gift.

33:50 It's a blessing that has been given to us, an opportunity

33:54 to be alive, to be on this world.

33:58 And I think it should be a life well-lived.

34:03 And what do I mean by a life well-lived?

34:06 It's a life where you were able to make a positive difference

34:13 in the lives of all other people that you've touched.

34:16 In the end, when you say your goodbyes

34:25 and you finally are laid to rest, what will be left,

34:31 really, will be your memory, your memory in the lives

34:36 that you touch.

34:37 And I think those are, I think, the more meaningful way

34:49 of living your life.

34:54 Of course, you'd like to enjoy a little luxuries here and there.

34:59 But ultimately, I think your kababayans

35:09 will appreciate that you were a positive influence,

35:17 a positive change in their lives.

35:20 And this, I think, makes our mission a noble mission.

35:27 And I'm not just saying about me being

35:30 secretary in the department.

35:32 I'm talking about the teachers.

35:34 I'm talking about the nurses, doctors,

35:38 people who devote their lives in building up others,

35:43 in helping up others from whatever status or level

35:50 that they were born into.

35:54 So I think this is one way of making your life more

36:10 meaningful.

36:12 Because otherwise, what will be the difference

36:14 between our life and a life of an animal?

36:18 Agree.

36:20 You know, animals would be-- you eat, you drink,

36:24 you defecate, you eat, reproduce, then go back again.

36:33 It's a cycle.

36:34 It's a cycle.

36:35 So what differentiates us except if we can do much, much more?

36:42 Yes.

36:42 And we're given-- God has given us the intellect.

36:46 God has given us a soul.

36:49 What are you going to use that for?

36:51 What more can the Filipino people expect

36:55 from Secretary Ivan Uy, the DICT family,

36:58 and the department as a whole?

37:00 I think you can expect more hard work from us.

37:05 We have four years to go.

37:08 And there's so much still to be done.

37:11 I'm quite happy that in the first two years,

37:15 we were able to achieve quite a significant and dramatic

37:21 transformation of many areas in terms of connectivity,

37:28 in terms of the services to the public that

37:32 are being incorporated into these platforms,

37:36 in terms of job generation, in terms of inclusivity,

37:42 financial inclusivity, capacity building in training our people

37:50 to become productive members of the digital workforce,

37:55 to enhance each person's cybersecurity and data privacy

38:01 awareness, and of course, building up also

38:05 our infrastructure on cybersecurity

38:08 to make us more resilient to any potential threats that

38:16 are out there.

38:18 You know, technology is a double-edged sword.

38:21 It can be used for good.

38:23 It can be used for bad.

38:25 And so we need to be able to exploit everything

38:30 that technology can offer for good.

38:32 But at the same time, we need to be aware that threat actors

38:37 will use those same opportunities for evil.

38:41 And therefore, we need to be alert.

38:45 We need to be proactive.

38:47 And we need to ensure that on the government side,

38:51 we do our job in helping protect the citizenry.

38:55 But the citizens should also take the cudgels for themselves,

38:59 pick themselves.

39:01 And take personal responsibility for the security

39:05 not only of yourself, but of your loved ones, your family

39:08 members.

39:09 I see a lot of parents allowing their young children

39:14 to just go online, unsupervised.

39:17 And they post everything online, giving away

39:21 personal data of the family just because there

39:25 are apps there that allow them to make themselves beautiful

39:32 online, but actually is already capturing their biometrics.

39:37 And then asking for data like what's the name of your dog,

39:45 what's your favorite food, all of those things,

39:48 supposedly to create a profile for you,

39:50 but actually really is creating a profile so that they can now

39:53 go after your family because they now know this background.

39:59 A lot of houses have been burglarized.

40:02 Why?

40:03 Because during holidays, when you go out of town,

40:08 you allow your kids to post pictures that, oh,

40:12 we are now in Boracay, first day of a five-day trip in Boracay.

40:17 So, cybercriminals see that it's the first day of five days,

40:21 so let's check it out.

40:23 This is already here in this address.

40:25 So there's no one in the house.

40:28 So--

40:29 Easy target.

40:30 Easy target.

40:31 And you've just provided all the information.

40:35 Super easy.

40:37 It's given.

40:38 The information is given.

40:39 So, my advice is always, especially when the holidays come,

40:43 that you should post when you're already home.

40:46 Late post.

40:47 Yes, late post.

40:48 Don't post when you're not home because that's what the criminals

40:54 are watching, the housekeepers, so that they can enter.

40:56 But that's just a clear example that today,

41:01 privacy of data is very, very important.

41:04 And just because you feel that no one is missing from you

41:08 by posting or by sharing your information,

41:13 you're actually doing a lot.

41:15 I've seen some who take selfies at home.

41:21 Selfies at home, the background has a lot of private information

41:28 that shouldn't be released.

41:30 But because they thought that they're the only ones getting it,

41:33 but there's a lot of other data.

41:37 The one who took the picture, the one behind is the bodyguard.

41:41 So awareness is really key, Zech.

41:45 Yes.

41:46 Awareness, self-awareness, and actually self-discipline.

41:50 Yes.

41:51 Self-discipline.

41:52 Today, in the past, data is not that significant

41:58 because they're non-digital.

42:00 So it takes a great effort to get your information.

42:04 In the past, what criminals did was to mix up your garbage.

42:08 They would look for your letters, your bills,

42:11 credit cards, to see what's in there.

42:15 Now, you don't need to because you're already giving it away.

42:18 Everything's online.

42:19 Yes, you're giving it online.

42:21 So be more aware of that.

42:24 And I think that's where we need to do.

42:27 So each person is ultimately responsible for your own safety.

42:32 Your own safety.

42:35 And government can only do so much.

42:37 But we will still continue to do as much as we can.

42:40 Mr. Secretary, I think the accomplishments that you have garnered

42:44 over the two years and what the ICT has re-established again,

42:48 that kind of connectivity, not only with lines, cables,

42:53 and stuff like that, but you really connect our people

42:55 to not the local industries, the international industries,

42:59 and that makes it better.

43:02 That makes it significant in not only our economy,

43:05 but in betterment.

43:07 So with that, Mr. Secretary, thank you very much

43:09 for guesting in our show.

43:11 And we really hope that we get to guest you again.

43:14 And next month is IT month.

43:18 We're going to look forward to that, Mr. Secretary.

43:21 And I wish everybody a good day.

43:23 And thank you for watching Prime Time with Attorney Liga.

43:26 (Music)

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