DICT backs Magna Carta to boost state IT workers’ benefits

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is advocating for the swift passage of the Magna Carta for IT Professionals, a proposed measure that seeks to improve the compensation and benefits of government-employed information technology (IT) workers.

In a statement released Thursday, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda emphasized that acknowledging and empowering government IT professionals is essential in supporting the digital transformation thrust of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“This key legislative bill seeks to boost compensation, benefits, and professional recognition for the dedicated ICT workforce,” he said.

Aguda reiterated this commitment during a strategic planning session for the Program Convergence Budgeting for Public Financial Management Systems and Medium-Term ICT Harmonization Initiative Steering Committee, held at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on April 3.

“Ito naman ang commitment ko sa inyo: if you help me, help the DICT –all the way and as quickly as possible in your respective agencies — I will work tirelessly to get the Magna Carta for IT Professionals passed,” he said.

He stressed that the real driving force behind successful digitalization lies in the people who implement it, rather than the technology itself.

“A lot of people have this misconception that transformation is largely about technology. It is not. Technology is an enabler, it is a tool — say 10 percent technology, 10 percent processes, but 80 percent of it is people,” he said.

Aguda’s push for the Magna Carta is part of a broader vision that includes building a digital-first economy, ensuring inclusive access to technology, safeguarding data privacy, and strengthening transparency in governance.

“If digital is the future and information is the new oil, then we need the Magna Carta,” Aguda said.

He also emphasized the importance of collaborative effort or “digital bayanihan” among the DICT and stakeholders to guarantee that no Filipino is left behind in the country’s push toward a fully digital society.