NEWS UPDATE | De Claro takes over as DICT secretary after Aguda resignation
Rober M. De Claro brings experience in information technology, business management and government service to the department.
Social Security System (SSS) President and CEO Robert Joseph Montes de Claro took his oath as the new secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Tuesday, Oct. 13, succeeding Henry Aguda following the latter’s resignation.
Newsbytes.PH reported De Claro’s oath-taking, marking another leadership change at the agency responsible for the government’s digital transformation initiatives, telecommunications policy, cybersecurity programs and efforts to expand internet connectivity nationwide.
In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the DICT welcomed De Claro’s appointment, citing his previous role as SSS president and CEO, where he championed efforts to improve service delivery and advance digitalization.
The department said it remains committed to its digitalization agenda under the new leadership.
“In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directives and under the leadership of Secretary De Claro, DICT remains committed to expanding internet connectivity, strengthening cybersecurity, promote responsible and secure use of online platform, improving digital government services, and making technology more accessible to every Filipino,” the agency said.
De Claro brings experience in information technology, business management and government service to the department. According to Newsbytes.PH, he was appointed SSS officer-in-charge on Oct. 11, 2024, before formally assuming the presidency and chief executive position on Dec. 6, 2024.
He joined the Social Security Commission in January 2023 as the employers’ sector representative and chaired its Information Technology and Collection Committee. He also served on committees covering audit, risk management and investment, and governance.
Before entering government, De Claro held executive positions in technology and business services companies, including People4u Inc., FutureNow Business Services Inc., JMango Philippines Inc., GlobalOne Solutions Inc. and Cloud Sherpas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science, specializing in information technology, from De La Salle University, Newsbytes.PH reported.
BetterGov.PH cited De Claro’s technology background and his record at the SSS, where he reportedly introduced biometric checks, digital pension services and paperless transactions. However, the group cautioned that the
results of these initiatives had not been independently confirmed.
“It is too early to say how he will run things,” BetterGov.PH said in its assessment of the appointment.
The organization also pointed to the challenges awaiting the new DICT chief, particularly allegations involving government-funded internet connectivity projects. It referred to an alleged “ghost internet” scheme in which free Wi-Fi projects reportedly failed to work despite government payments.
De Claro’s appointment follows Marcos’ confirmation on Oct. 11 that he had accepted Henry Aguda’s resignation. Aguda issued a statement on Oct. 12 thanking the president for the opportunity to serve and pledging an orderly transition to the incoming leadership, according to the Newsbytes.PH report.
Aguda’s departure came as the DICT faced scrutiny over alleged irregularities in government internet connectivity projects, including the government’s Free Wi-Fi program. The allegations have raised questions about whether publicly funded projects were delivered and made operational as intended. These remain allegations and should not be treated as established findings.
The leadership transition puts De Claro in charge of the department’s continuing digitalization programs while questions remain about the implementation and performance of publicly funded connectivity initiatives.
His experience managing the SSS, including its reported digitalization efforts, will be relevant to the department’s service-delivery agenda. However, running a pension fund and overseeing national telecommunications, cybersecurity and internet connectivity programs involve different operational and policy responsibilities.
The immediate challenge for the new secretary will be to advance the DICT’s stated priorities while addressing concerns over project implementation, public accountability and the delivery of promised internet services.
Full disclosure: All news articles published on the TechSabado website are written by human journalists, unless otherwise specified. Final text editing is also performed by human editors, with artificial intelligence (AI) used only to assist with additional grammar and style guide corrections..
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