PH Stresses Role of Technology in Development in ITU Council

Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN and Other International Organizations, and DICT OIC-Secretary Eliseo Rio take part in the opening of the 2018 session of the ITU Council on 17 April.

GENEVA 24 April 2018 — The Philippines is championing the use of technology to help spur development and growth during the meeting of the Council of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which is being held in Geneva from 17 to 23 April 2018.

Led by officials from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippines is drawing on its experience of helping narrow development gaps through national programs that democratize access to the internet by granting free access to underdeveloped localities.

The Philippines will also push for enhanced cybersecurity, stronger child online protection, and the mainstreaming of gender equality in the policies and programs of the ITU.

In a meeting held on 18 April 2018 with ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, Undersecretary Eliseo Rio, OIC-Secretary of the DICT, also shared the plans of the Philippines to improve the country’s access to faster and more affordable internet and telephony services by working towards the entry of a third telecommunications company in the domestic market.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN and Other International Organizations in Geneva, lauded the initiatives of the ITU in strengthening internet governance. “The internet presents many opportunities. Advances in technology provide a platform for more effective and efficient delivery of services and enhance our ability to connect to more people,” said Ambassador Garcia.

“However, challenges naturally come along with such opportunities. The international community must be vigilant towards ensuring that we continue to safeguard our people while harnessing the potential of current and emerging trends like big data and artificial intelligence,” he added.

The ITU is a specialized agency of the United Nations tasked with monitoring and setting global technical standards for information and communication technologies, including the allocation of radio spectrums and satellite orbits. END

For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGenevaUN/

OIC-Secretary Rio calls on ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao on 18 April.