CICT Commissioner in Conflict of Interest?

Perhaps CICT Commissioner Emmanuel Lallana should ask his former employer, the Foundation for Information Technology and Education (FIT-ED) to update their website which still lists him as Vice-President . A recent story in Inq7 reports that FIT-ED is currently part of an organizing group formulating the national strategy for ICT in basic education. The organizing group includes CICT Commr. Lallana whose Human Capital Development Group is obviously a beneficiary of the project. If Commr. Lallana is still connected with FIT-ED, this project might create a conflict of interest. But I don’t think that’s the case which is why a website update might be in order.

In a related story (reported in PhilStar ), Commr. Lallana’s (former) boss at FIT-ED, Bobby Romulo , is being hounded by former Solicitor General Frank Chavez (in part) for holding a position in FIT-ED while serving as a presidential adviser on ICT strategy. Here’s a quote from Mr. Chavez:

“Romulo is a senior adviser on international competitiveness with portfolio on international finance, investment, trade and information and communication technological strategy - the same areas where Romulo’s private corporations, corporate holdings and foundations have particular interests and advocacies that he would naturally want the government to adopt.”

Note also that the President’s daughter, Luli Arroyo, works for FIT- ED .

Don’t get me wrong. FIT-ED (and Commr. Lallana himself) has done some impressive work in the area of ICT policy and, to my knowledge, Luli Arroyo herself is beyond reproach. If the close relationship between the foundation and government is perfectly legitimate, it might make sense to articulate that view publicly. (More unsolicited advice).