The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is exploring digital cooperation with Belgium in the areas of cybersecurity, digital ID, and satellites.
Belgium has an eID, an electronic proof of identity that citizens use for electronic transactions, such as signing electronic documents and securely logging in to online public services.
“We want to learn from digitally-advanced nations in terms of building and improving digital infrastructure," said DICT Undersecretary for Public Affairs and Foreign Relations Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo.
"We want to improve the public’s access to and the government’s delivery of public services through digitalization, and strengthening measures against cyber threats,” she explained.
Lamentillo met with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the Philippines Michel Parys to discuss digital cooperation between the two countries.
Among the priorities of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is to fast track the issuance of National IDs to make transactions with different government agencies seamless and more efficient, according to Lamentillo.
The DICT is also exploring partnerships with other nations to pursue the Marcos Administration’s Build Better More thrust, to bridge the digital divide and improve public services through e-governance.