The Chief of Management Information System Service (MISS) of DND is worthy of being elevated to Chief Information Officer (CIO) with a rank of Assistant Secretary (ASEC).

Today, the buzzword for CIOs in all organization is Digital Transformation (DX). “DX is the process of using digital technologies to create new or modify existing business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet changing business and market requirements”. This is also true to government corporations. The one in charge for DX at DND is the Chief of MISS.

DX comes with so many high-level benefits, for instance: 1) Digitalization of Business Operations, referred as the “paperless office”; 2) Greater Resource Management; 3) Employee Empowerment; 4) Greater Customer Insights; 5) Better Customer Experience; 6) Creation of Digital Products and Services; 7) Opening the Door to Globalization; and more.

In this manner, there was already a proposal from the Office of the Defense Reform (ODR) recommending the upgrade of MISS into an Assistant Secretary level.

One of the reasons cited in the proposal is that in the Data Privacy Act of 2012, or better known as the Republic Act (RA) 10173, the Data Protection Officer (DPO) of an entity must be someone occupying a 3rd level position from the top. At DND, the first level is the Secretary; the second level is the Undersecretary; and the third level is the Assistant Secretary. The Chief of MISS should be the one designated as DPO but its rank did not qualify because the position is only at Directorial level; so the designation went to the Assistant Secretary for Human Resources (ASHR), who should instead be the data controller and/or data processor. The Chief, MISS was only designated as the Assistant DPO.

On Technology. All technologies required for DX fall under the care of MISS; some are still in the process of acquisition. DND intends to make use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain,Virtual Reality VR), Cloud Computing, Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data Analytics, Robotics and others.

On Information. Information is power! The main information system at DND is the Defense System of Management (DSOM). All others are considered sub-systems, namely:

• Force-Oriented Cost Information System (FOCIS)
• Personnel Management Information System (PMIS)
• DefenseResource Management Information System (DRMIS)
• Program Performance Budget Execution Review (PPBER)
• Project Procurement Monitoring System (PPMS)
• Defense Situation Monitoring Information System (DSMIS)
• Integrated Personnel Performance Management System (IPPMS)
• Cash Payments and Disbursement System (CPDS)
• Centralized Document Tracking System
• Budget System (BS)
• Inventory System

On Gateways. MISS, at present, is only in-charge of ICT requirements within the bounds of the perimeter walls of DND Proper building. In becoming the DND’s CIO, the Chief of MISS must take under its wings, to include, the ICT requirements of all its bureaus, in order to synchronize its efforts and standardize data structures. The Department can, likewise, save a lot of money through economy of scale in procurement of hardware and software, to include broadband subscriptions. DND Proper must, therefore, establish and open secured gateway connections going to and coming in from all its different bureau, namely:

• Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
  • Philippine Army (PA)
  • Philippine Navy (PN)
  • Philippine Air Force (PAF)
  • Its respective Reservist Command
• Government Arsenal (GA)
• National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP)
• Office of Civil Defense (OCD)
  • National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
• Philippine Veterans Affair Office (PVAO)
  • Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC)
• Office of Defense Reform (ODR)

Furthermore, DND can create a council of DPOs, with the DND CIO as chair and its member coming from the different bureaus. They should self-regulate only and not be subjected for audit by the National Privacy Commission (NPC). I have explained this already in another blog entitled: “AFP batting for Data Privacy Exception“.

Conclusion.

In this manner, I recommend that MISS should be upgraded and renamed into politically correct terminologies. The name that I propose is: “The Office of the ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR TECHNOLOGIES, INFORMATION & GATEWAYS”. At DND, people call their officials by their acronym, such as: USDO (usdo), CVRA (pronounced as zebra), ASAIA (asa-ee-ya), ASHR (pronounced as usher), to name a few. So now, you know what to call the CIO of DND…

Pakitawag nga si – ASTIG! hehe