New ICTO chief: We'll make digital plan work

The newly named executive director of the Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) said he wants to link the seeming disconnect between the private sector and the government, having spent 14 years as an IC design engineer at a Japanese-owned electronics firm.

Casambre during his first media interview as ICTO executive director. Melvin Calimag, Newsbytes.ph

In his first interview since being appointed by Malacanang last week, Louis Casambre said his experience in the private sector allowed him to see the problems of the industry, which he now intends to address as the first head of the ICTO, formerly known as the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT). DOST secretary Mario Montejo recruited Casambre, a 1987 electrical engineering graduate of the University of the Philippines, from semicon firm Rohm. Casambre had previously worked for Montejo when the latter was still in the private sector. The stern-looking Casambre, who granted the exclusive interview just before he was inducted into office by Montejo at the CICT building in Quezon City on Wednesday, said it was one of his dreams to serve in the government. “At risk of sounding corny, I can say that I have two dreams. The first one is to become an IC design engineer, while the second one is to see our country progress so that our people wouldn’t have to leave our country to find a job," he said. “I’ve already achieved my first dream. So, when Sec. Montejo asked me to join the government, I figured that it was a chance for me to give back and fulfill my second dream as well," said Casambre. Montejo, who was also present during the lunch interview at the office occupied by former CICT chairmen, said Casambre took a huge pay cut when he accepted the offer to become ICTO chief. At Rohm, Casambre led one of the company’s IC design divisions, taking over from a position formerly held by a Japanese engineer. Prior to being named executive director of the ICTO, Casambre was part of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), representing the private sector. This is not his first stint in the government, however, as he worked for about three years at the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) right after college. As ICT chieftain, Casambre said he intends to follow the Philippine Digital Strategy (PDS) which was crafted by the CICT just a few days before it was downgraded and renamed as ICTO. “The PDS will serve as our guide in achieving our goals for the industry. Our aim is to make the PDS work," he said. Casambre said his marching order from Montejo is to focus on four main thrusts: e-government, Internet for all, cyber-security, and the IT-BPO sector. Though it hasn’t been officially announced yet, Casambre’s deputies at the ICTO will be composed of a new face and two commissioner holdovers from the CICT. Former CICT commissioner Monchito Ibrahim and Telecommunications Office (Telof) chief Frank Perez have been asked to become part of the team, while IBM Philippines government relations head Alejandro Melchor III will reportedly come in to take charge of BPO concerns. To make the ICTO more nimble, Casambre said he will implement the rationalization plan mandated in the executive order that created the office. The Telof and the National Computer Center (NCC) are the two main agencies under the restructured ICTO. The Telof, which has about 3,000 employees but whose telegram functions have become outdated, is likely to be affected by the cutdown, he said. Casambre said the CICT’s previous strategy of converting Telof offices across the country into CeCs (community e-centers) is part of the agency’s transformation plan. Lastly, as chair of the Comelec Advisory Council (CAC), Casambre said he does not have an opinion yet on whether to discard or buy the PCOS machines that were used in the last national elections. “We would have to convene the CAC in the nearest possible time so we can decide on that issue and also to prepare for the next elections," he said. — Newsbytes.ph