Security, accessibility, and productivity remain priorities among service providers in the technology industry because of the various advantages it brings users, especially with the advancements in the Cloud. The Philippine government saw its potential to cut costs and streamline its services for maximum efficiency.
According to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Philippine government’s Cloud First Policy promotes cloud computing as the preferred technology for government administration and the delivery of government services. The government agency expects flexibility, security, and cost-efficiency, among other advantages, through the shift.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) assures that the risks and vulnerabilities associated with using cloud vendors to store and process data receive the appropriate attention using controls and security protocols in adopting the government’s Cloud First Policy.
“All data created, collected, organized, modified, retrieved, used, consolidated, sourced from, or owned by the Philippine government, including all its agencies and instrumentalities, or by any national of the Philippines or any entity that has links to the Philippines, which are in the cloud, regardless of location, shall be governed by Philippine laws, policies, rules, and regulations,” said Maria Victoria Castro, Director IV, National ICT Planning, Policy and Standards Bureau, DICT, during the first Philippine CTO Summit: Cloud 4.0, dubbed “Moving from Public Clouds to In-Country Clouds,” held April 27 in Makati City.
Present also in the groundbreaking event were several international stakeholders in the tech industry and honorable Makati Mayor Abby Binay, who sets an example by embracing technological developments and allowing her city to lead others down the path of modernization.
Castro added that the Philippines’ Cloud First Policy covers all executive departments, bureaus, offices, agencies, and other national government instruments, including GOCCs, subsidiaries, SUCs, and LGUs. The Congress, judiciary, constitutional commissions, and the Office of the Ombudsman will also receive encouragement from the DICT to adopt the Cloud First Policy.
The DICT assures that all provisions will comply with current local and international security standards for their industry and all relevant Philippine laws while underscoring the relevance of the policy. Among those is full retention of control and ownership over their data. There shall be no transfer, storage, or processing of government data in cloud infrastructure unless made following the provisions of the Circular and other relevant laws, policies, rules, regulations, and issuances, as the DICT is the agency in charge of providing cloud infrastructure access and support services to government agencies, according to their requirements.
“Professional cloud providers have international recognized certifications. They have very strict procedures. If you look at the track record of cloud providers, they have a good record in data collection, but it’s not a magic bullet. If you put something in the cloud and you don’t secure it properly, then it’s at risk,” said Robert Jenkin, co-founder and CEO of Cloud Sigma, a cloud service provider which has been operating through its partner in the Philippines, Comfac Technology Options (CTO).
Although the Philippines is still some ways before wholly integrating a Cloud First Policy, steps like the first Philippine CTO Summit: Cloud 4.0 are necessary to give Filipinos and their leaders a nudge toward the right direction–where progress is accessible and beneficial for all.