The Philippines is preparing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish digital cooperation with Estonia.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy told Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas that the Philippines is currently working on an MOU, particularly in e-governance and cybersecurity, during a meeting that took place alongside the Tallinn Digital Summit (TDS) 2023 on Sept. 5.

"The proposed MOU between the Philippines and Estonia will pave the way for future agreements in other fields of ICT, support the government's digital transformation, and enhance the country's cybersecurity posture," Uy said in a statement on Thursday, Sept. 14.

DICT said that Kallas responded to this measure by "expressing her anticipation for the signing of the MOU that will lay down the framework for future collaborations between the two countries."

The DICT chief also emphasized the Philippines' intention to formulate policies on artificial intelligence (AI) and other frontier technologies.

He also expressed interest in observing how the European Commission is developing similar policies related to this matter.

The TDS is an annual event attended by various world leaders of digital nations who lay out plans for the future of digitalization.

Furthermore, Uy made history as the first DICT head to lead the Philippine delegation to the TDS, where this year's summit focused on "promoting open, resilient, and responsive governance worldwide."

The host nation, Estonia, is one of the most digitally advanced countries in the world, consistently placing highly in global indices for digital public services, cybersecurity, and internet penetration.

This marked the first time that the Philippines is actively pursuing bilateral cooperation with Estonia in cybersecurity and digital transformation.

The delegation from the Philippines include Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Jesus S. Domingo, DICT Undersecretary David L. Almirol, Jr., DFA Assistant Secretary Alan L. Deniega, Presidential Communications Office Assistant Secretary Patricia Kayle S. Martin, and DICT Head Executive Assistant Patricia Nicole G. Uy.

In Tallinn, they were joined by Ambassador Leah M. Basinang-Ruiz and Consul Alena Grace S. Borra from the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, which has jurisdiction over Estonia.