DICT’s budget crisis

To be clear, the House of Representatives did not summon Mark Zuckerberg, nor was the budget deferred because of concerns involving Meta alone.

Let’s talk about DICT’s budget.

This is arguably one of the most critical budget debates in Congress right now. For millions of Filipinos, the internet determines how we work, study, pay bills, access government services, run businesses and connect with the world.

The Philippine Statistics Authority estimates that the digital economy generated P2.74 trillion in 2025, equivalent to 9.8 percent of GDP, and provided employment to 10.39 million Filipinos. Digital infrastructure is no longer a luxury. It is economic infrastructure.

For FY 2027, DICT and its attached agencies are proposing P19.49 billion, about seven percent higher than the FY 2026 allocation. As sponsor of the DICT budget, I believe the question before Congress isn’t simply how much we spend, but whether those funds deliver connectivity, security and protection for Filipinos.

There has been progress.

DICT has reached nearly 695,000 Filipinos through ICT capacity-development programs covering digital literacy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital work and entrepreneurship.

The National Fiber Backbone has laid approximately 3,026 kilometers of fiber and activated 59 of 136 target backbone nodes. More than 10 million Filipinos have benefited from the Free Public Internet Access Program.

DICT’s National Security Operations Center expanded its coverage from 10 government agencies in 2022 to 99 by August 2026, monitoring approximately 6.7 billion security alerts. Meanwhile, the eGovPH Super App has recorded more than 61 million downloads and 56 million verified accounts, while more than 1,300 government e-services have been integrated into the digital ecosystem.

So why was the DICT budget deferred?

Cybersecurity and online safety are central to our digital future. The deliberations therefore raised a fundamental question: how do we ensure that platforms and digital technologies shaping Filipino digital life are accountable when their systems are used for harm?

Congressman Presley de Jesus raised concerns over financial scams, deepfakes, investment schemes, violent content and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. He also questioned whether platforms serving millions of Filipinos have sufficient executive accountability in the Philippines.

These concerns extend beyond Meta. Across Facebook, X, TikTok and other platforms, Filipinos face scams, disinformation, deepfakes, exploitation and harmful content requiring consistent oversight and regulation.

Because these issues remain unresolved, Congressman Presley moved to defer consideration of the DICT budget until the department could present clearer, measurable deliverables and plans. The House accepted the deferment.

That goes to the heart of legislative oversight. Public funds must be matched by measurable results.

DICT and CICC, however, are not standing still. A technical working group with Meta is being pursued on identity verification, online safety, harmful content and response mechanisms. One proposal involves National ID verification through a match-or-no-match process that keeps personal data with government authorities.

DICT and CICC are also preparing evidence and examining legal options concerning platform accountability while engaging the National Privacy Commission and National Telecommunications Commission. In fact, they even submitted documents to the solicitor general for case build up. It was also the DICT, not the House, that sought executive engagement from Meta, through letters addressed to Mark Zuckerberg earlier this year.

The Filipino people expect results, not only concerning Meta, but against illegal online gambling, scams, online sexual abuse, disinformation and online content contributing to violence.

The recent school shooting again demonstrates why this conversation cannot remain theoretical. Reports that planning took place through Messenger raise serious questions about what responsibility platforms have to detect and respond to credible threats of violence. Filipinos deserve faster responses and stronger protection.

But responsibility does not rest on DICT alone. The House must also pass legislation giving the executive branch an effective regulatory framework.

Several measures are pending, including House Bill 9605, the National Cybersecurity and Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Act. I co-sponsored it, the House passed it on third reading on Aug. 12 and it now awaits Senate action. It creates a National Cybersecurity Agency under the Office of the President. Also pending is the Children’s Social Media and Online Gaming Safety Act, which the committee on welfare of children approved on Sept. 7. It bars children below 13 from holding social media accounts and sets age-appropriate protections for those aged 13 to 17.

What’s still missing is the piece the DICT debate exposed: a law that makes the platforms themselves answerable here. Global technology companies serving millions of Filipinos must operate within Philippine law and be reachable by Philippine authorities.

That is why I would go further. It may be time for the House to establish a special committee on social media and online safety, one that can write that law.

Australia provides a useful precedent. Its Parliament established the House Select Committee on Social Media and Online Safety in 2021 and later the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society in 2024. The latter examined issues including age verification, algorithms, mental health, scams, illegal content, child protection and extremist material.

The DICT budget deliberations have opened an important national conversation about digital regulation, development and social protection. Its budget was deferred to demand clearer answers and measurable results because connectivity without accountability exposes Filipinos to new forms of exploitation, deception and violence.

Do you know someone who suffered abuse on social media? Have you ever seen fake news online? Have you been a victim of an online scam? What about a scam text or call? Have your children been influenced by negative content? Do you know a victim of illegal gambling and debt? I bet the answer to many of these is yes. Now do you understand why the House of Representatives deferred the budget? Or do you still think it’s all about META?