The Department of Information and Communications Technology was created by Republic Act No. 10844, signed on May 20, 2016, during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. It serves as the primary policy, planning, and coordinating body for the Executive Branch’s ICT agenda.

DICT’s functions span formulating national ICT policy, expanding public ICT access (including in rural areas), supporting cybersecurity and consumer data protection, and backing ICT industry development more broadly — a mandate that explicitly includes supporting startups.

Under the Innovative Startup Act (Republic Act No. 11337), DICT is named one of three lead implementing agencies, alongside DOST and DTI, responsible for carrying out the Philippine Startup Development Program.

🇵🇭 Philippine Example

DICT's role as one of RA 11337's three named lead agencies is a real, legally defined responsibility — not an informal association — placing it alongside DOST and DTI as a direct administrator of national startup incentive programs.

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