MANILA: The Bureau of Customs in the Philippines is spearheading an initiative that would spur ICT adoption within government organizations.
The agency has recently partnered with Microsoft Philippines to streamline productivity in customs administration, ensure the security of data, and promote transparency.
“We are committed to annihilating alleged controversies and corruption within our agency, and we believe we can empower everyone within the organization to be the best service to our constituents through technology and mobility,” said Customs Commissioner Alberto D. Lina. “By adopting a world-class technology, we will improve our efficiency in public service while strengthening the integrity and security of the data and information of the public.”
The recent attacks against government agencies, including the massive breach against the Commission on Elections (Comelec) website which exposed data of 55 million voters, has drastically affected public trust, which Lina believes must be addressed to be able to serve the public better.
“We see with the recent, seemingly harmless attacks on the websites of government agencies that cybersecurity is no longer an option,” he said. “The new norm is to be attacked and until you understand that technology is your only real solution against it, these cybercriminals will succeed.”
To hasten the modernization of BOC’s systems and digitization of their services, Microsoft is providing infrastructure re-engineering through end-to-end ICT solutions and integrating cybersecurity in their foundations.
“We hope that through our initiative to innovate, we inspire all other government agencies to embrace the future of governance through technology,” Lina concluded.
