By Tom S. Noda
Computerworld Philippines
February 2, 2010

Staunch supporters of the Cybercrime and Department of ICT bills are beginning to believe that an “unseen force” may be preventing the passing into law of the two proposals pending in the Senate, despite countless presidential requests and fervent support of local ICT advocates and practitioners.

The bills’ supporters, led by Secretary Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III, chairman of the Commission on ICT (CICT), are starting to believe that someone or some people with great influence are keeping the ICT bills in the Senate hanging.

And with only two session days left, supporters are beginning to accept a poor ending. They are officers and members of CICT as well as leaders of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P), Call Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP), Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) and the CIO Forum (CIOF).

Roxas-Chua, who regularly gives public updates on the bills via his Facebook (FB) account, reported that although the ICT bills are lined up for interpolation, a single discussion has not yet been taken and their enactment into law appears to be bleak in the present administration. He vowed to be present in the Senate’s last nine session days since its legislative calendar resumed last Jan. 18.

“Sorry folks, another day wasted,” Chua said in his FB status on Monday. “There seems to be an unseen force preventing our bills from being taken up.”

Chua said there are many bills that were tackled in the Senate since Jan. 18 but, unfortunately, the ICT bills were not among them, despite being certified as “urgent” by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last Wednesday.

Last Monday’s session was the 7th consecutive session day in the Senate which Chua and leaders of the said ICT groups attended. Chua said the Senate’s discussion on Monday was spent on the C-5 controversy linking presidentiable and incumbent senator Manny Villar.

In a recent interview with Computerworld Philippines, supporters of the DICT bill said the interpolation request of Sen. Mar Roxas is the only thing that holds the bill’s enactment into law. They said that although Roxas registered to interpolate on the bill in September 2009, he has yet to speak for the bill.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, who registered to interpolate like Roxas, already gave her piece on the issue in September last year, supporters said.

Some supporters also commented that the Senate’s treatment of the DICT bill is a complete opposite of the treatment given by the House of Representatives who passed HB 4300 for the same purpose two years ago in 2008.

Computerworld Philippines tried to reach Roxas for comment since Thursday but hasn’t received a reply as of writing. He was present during last Wednesday’s session but immediately left after the roll call.

Chua said CICT is willing to do some adjustments on the DICT bill if ever Roxas, a known critic of the bill, has any objections. However, he said the problem stems from having no discussion on the matter at all.

As for the Cybercrime bill, Chua said it might have a better chance than the DICT bill since they are not aware of any oppositions.

Within the two session days left in the Senate, the ICT bills will have to be approved on 2nd and 3rd reading and reconciled with the House versions in a bicameral conference. If the bills fail to pass, lawmakers will have to do it all over again in Congress in the next administration.

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