Philippines obtains seat in UN telco council

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has obtained a council seat in the United Nations’ telecommunications division, vowing to push the national agenda in line with the international push for digital adoption.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the Philippines was voted a member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Council, landing a seat in the exclusive panel from 2023 to 2026.

The DICT said a total of 193 member states of the ITU selected 48 countries to lead the council.

The Philippines belongs to the 13 states elected from Region E comprised of economies from Asia and Australia. Aside from the Philippines, the group is made up of Australia, Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

Information Secretary Ivan John Uy said the country would work toward fulfilling the ITU’s mandate of expanding access to digital platforms. He added that the Philippines’ inclusion in the council also pushes the interests of its fellow developing countries.

“The DICT looks forward to working with all our stakeholders both in public and private sectors to attain our common aspirations of a digitally empowered Philippines,” Uy said.

“As a country, we are very eager to take an active part in building a better digital future for all as our commitment under the Bucharest Declaration.”

Information Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue worked on the country’s election into the ITU Council and is scheduled to stay in Romania until the end of the conference on Oct. 14.

Sigue said the DICT plans to use its council seat to advance the Philippine agenda of building a future where everyone can access digital sites. She added that digitalization may not only mean connectivity for some, but also their education, livelihood and health even.

As a member of the council, the Philippines is expected to lead discussions and policymaking in the ITU on how the world should move forward with digitalization. The DICT, for its part, said the agency would require the support of its fellow state agencies in achieving the country’s goals in the UN body.