DICT: Telecommuting, other ICT solutions may help ease Metro Manila traffic

How do you like the idea of working from home?

This may be possible if President Rodrigo Duterte considers enacting an executive order that will promote telecommuting as one of the information and communication technology (ICT) based solutions on easing the traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) deemed it wise to push for telecommuting to help decongest the metropolis’ roads.

The DICT pesented a resolution during the first ICT summit on implementing ICT-based solutions to mitigate traffic congestion nationwide held in Makati Shangrila on Tue, Nov 8.

It was formulated with the cooperation of representatives from government agencies including the Senate and the House of Representatives, League of Governors and Mayors, local government unit (LGU) officials in the National Capital Region (NCR), ICT experts and industry stakeholders.

The stakeholders are asking the Duterte administration to seriously consider telecommuting and other ICT-based solutions as a strategy to address and mitigate traffic congestion citing that it costs the country nearly PHP2.4 billion everyday.

“Through the use of ICT-based solutions such as the use of telecommuting as a work arrangement and the use of ICT solutions such as cloud computing, remote access systems, productivity, communications and collaboration tools, enterprise resource planning tools, ICT-based traffic management tools and adoption of broadband connectivity, the public and private sector can help mitigate the traffic problem and channel the PHP2.4 billion losses into savings, investment and even income,” the resolution stated.

The resolution likewise called on the public sector to formulate tax-based and other appropriate incentives for business entities that participate in implementing ICT-based solutions.

On the part of the private sector, it should commit to assist the government in developing and providing identified ICT solutions and infrastructures necessary for its implementation.

The representatives from the summit strongly recommended the President’s issuance of an EO formally adopting telecommuting and ICT-based solutions in mitigating traffic.

“The Executive Order is an appropriate tool for mandating the executive branch of government and imparting weight and permanence on telecommuting and the use of ICT-based solutions as a policy,” according to them. Philippine News Agency (PNA)



Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply


BECOME A COCO+ MEMBER

Support local news and join a community of like-minded
“Coconauts” across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Join Now
Coconuts TV
Our latest and greatest original videos
Subscribe on