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Presidential Decree 1489 issued on June 11, 1978 provided for the restructuring of the National Computer Center and vested it among other things with the mandate ‘to formulate policies and prescribe standards on the acquisition and utilization of computers and related devices, data communications, information systems, and manpower development in support of national computerization objectives’.

On May 23, 1989, MO237 was issued by the President; “Further Liberalizing the Existing Procedural Guidelines for the Acquisition and Use of Information Technology Resources in Government.’

The National Information Technology Plan (NITP2000) the country’s blueprint for IT development was approved on August 19, 1994 through Executive Order No. 190. As such it supports the development administration concern of the country’s Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).  On February 23, 1998, Executive Order No. 469 was issued amending the NITP2000 Action Agenda for the 21st Century (IT21). It contains among the things an agenda to accelerate the computerization in national and local government agencies.

It is hereby declared that it is the policy of the State to have an integrated government computerization program.  There is a need to coordinate, integrate, modernize and fast track the implementation of all Information Technology (IT) related projects to achieve its vision of providing better services to the people.

There is also a need to coordinate, integrate, modify and modernize the infrastructure policies, programs and projects, speed up its implementation as well as enhance the planning and use of computer resources with high quality and cost efficiency as a major consideration.

As embodied in Section 2 of Letter of Instruction No 751 issued by President Ferdinand E. Marcos dated 16 October 1978, the National Computer Center (NCC) shall proceed with the development of the Master Plan for EDP in the government pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1480 in close consultation and coordination with the different ministries, and agencies.  Said Plan shall include a national program for computer education and training, for information processing, and national information systems development.

Information Systems Planning aims to direct the application of Information Technology (IT) towards mission-critical, public-service-sensitive, development-management-supportive and revenue generating areas of the government. More importantly, it harnesses IT as a national and strategic resource for attainment of Philippines 2000 vision.

The Information System Plan (ISP) is now hereby adopted as a policy tool to ensure IT application in strategic areas of government concern.  This is consistent with EO 125, Memorandum Order 237, and the mandate of the National Computer Center (NCC) as provided for in PD 1480 which is to create the appropriate environment for, and rationalize the use and application of computer technology for national development.

NCC, guided by these objectives and in exercise of its mandate under Sections 2a, 2b, 2c and 2g of PD1480 and Sec. 6 of MO237, now issues this circular to guide the agencies in their information system planning program.


2.1 Information Systems Strategic Plan (ISSP)

The ISSP embodies the Agency’s overall strategic plan for the development and implementation of information systems, the use of IT, and the corresponding resource requirements over a fixed long-term period (planning horizon).  It is natural component of the Agency’s planning process and should be considered a tool to ensure IT application in strategic areas of government concern and map out of its IT direction.

2.2       Information Systems Development Plan (ISDP)

The ISDP embodies the Agency’s Plan of Action for the year based on their approved budget.  This Plan of Action contains, but not limited to, programs identified in this document.

2.3       Government-wide Information Sharing Program (G-WISH)

G-WISH is an electronic value-added IP-based network infrastructure built out of existing information/communication networks consisting of hardware, software, firmware, applications, database and network resources and related standards that enable government to transmit data/information in various media from one agency to another or from one network to another via a communication medium in support of its operations and in effective governance of the Filipino people.  It is a collection of IP-based networks and the systems that run on them that integrate seven components:

a)	communication and broadcasting networks (telephone, cable, satellite, etc.)
b)	information technology equipment (hardware/software)
c)	information resources (electronically accessible databases)
d)	applications that support business processes (E-Commerce, EDI, telemedicine, etc.)
e)	manpower of various skills that support the flow of data/information across the electronic infrastructure
f)	information technology standards that govern the communication among various entities within the network community of stakeholders (intranet) and other interested groups in other networks that are given access to this network community (extranet)
g)	policies that govern the use of G-WISH

3.1 All references to Information Systems Plans (ISPs) in previously issued NCC Memorandum Circulars, Memorandum Orders & Executive Orders shall be construed as referring to the agency’s ISSPs.  Section 3.6 of Executive Order 125 has transferred the authority to approve ISSPs from DBM (per MO237) to NCC.

All Departments and their attached agencies GOCCs, SUCs, GFIs of the Executive Branch of the Philippine Government are hereby required pursuant to Sec. 6 of EO125 to submit their 5-year ISSP to the NCC for review and approval for endorsement to the Heads of Agency and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for appropriate action. Please refer to Annex A* for format. It shall be the responsibility of the Head of Agency to formulate its IT budget, present this to DBM for funding, and when approved, have this released according to their Annual ISDP implementation schedule.  Furthermore, all agencies are required to submit to their Departments their ISSP for integration in the Department-wide ISSP and to their Sectoral Heads if they are a member of a sectoral information systems planning committees.

Agencies with endorsed ISSPs which are in force as of March 31, 1999 are enjoined to resubmit their ISSPs using the new format, especially those whose ISSPs are due for updating. NCC will send communication to the agencies whose ISSPs have expired.  This requirement is necessary for integration into the government-wide ISSP(GISP), a major subset of the National Information Technology Plan.

3.2  All national government agencies, government-owned and – controlled corporations (GOCCs), Government Financing Institutions (GFIs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) are henceforth required to submit their 5-year ISSPs to NCC for approval which will serve as their blueprint for harnessing information technology in the development of mission-critical applications and in the pursuit of the agency’s strategic directions. In case of SUCs, their ISSPs must be harmonized with the strategic directions set by CHED.

3.3 Agencies whose ISSPs have expired or those with ISSP updates are also required to submit these to NCC for evaluation and endorsement to DBM not later than March 31 of the year for inclusion in the agency’s budget proposal for the succeeding year.  Updates to the ISSP (please refer to Annex A) are necessitated by a major change in IT strategy, additional function or change in agency mission.

3.4 The submission of an ISSP is optional for Local Government Units (LGUs).  If the LGU however, opts to submit one and is favorably endorsed by NCC and subsequently approved by the LGU’s legislative body, it will be the basis for IT resource acquisitions. Notwithstanding this, NCC stands ready to provide advisory services in the development and implementation of information systems.


Agencies are mandated to follow the five-step ISSP Methodology (see Annex B*) and NCC shall provide regular training to Agency Executives, IS Planners and Chief Information Officers and there is Planning Team Members to develop their competencies in updating their ISSPs, and managing I.T. as regular Agency Program.


It shall be the responsibility of the Agency Head to comply with the ISSP’s Yearly Accomplishment Targets and secure the necessary funding and resources from DBM and/or local and foreign funding institutions. An Annual IS Development Plan (ISDP) shall be prepared at the start of the fiscal year to plan out the activities necessary to achieve the Yearly Accomplishment targets. These targets must be included in his submission of Performance Commitment to the President using performance measures listed in Annex C*.


The ISDP, which embodies the Agency’s Plan of Action for the year based on their approved budget shall be submitted to NCC not later than March 31 of every year as basis for monitoring IT acquisition vis-à-vis target accomplishments for the year.  At NCC’s notification, Agency IS Planner/Chief Information Officers (CIOs) may be asked to present their ISSPs/ISDPs in person before a review panel. Modification to the ISDP can only be made within the year with NCC’’ approval. (Please refer to Annex D*)

The ISDP must contain, but is not limited to, the following programs:

a) Office Productivity Enhancement Program

This includes office automation projects aimed at increasing the productivity of the office personnel. This may include use off-the-shelf software packages, groupware, wordprocessing, spreadsheet, etc.

b) Policy Development/Management

This includes the formulation of IT policies aimed at optimizing the use of IT resources to meet IT objectives and goals.  It is also aimed at complying with government-wide policies like RP-Web, Y2K, G-WISH, and IPR Compliance, Government-wide Standards. Use of Information and Communication of Technologies (ICT), Change Management, Knowledge Management and Business Process Reengineering to prepare the organization for IS Plan implementation can be included in this category.

c) Systems Development & Operationalization of Mission Critical/Common Applications

This includes all activities relative to the conceptualization, development and implementation of information systems.

d) Training

This involves IT capability development in the organization in order to effectively support ISSP implementation

e)  Y2K Compliance

This involves all activities related to the remediation of application and computer-based systems in compliance to Executive Orders 9, 14, Memorandum Circulars 3, 13 and RA 8747 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

f) Research and Development

This includes all activities relative to the development of new IT products, exploring the varied use of new technologies and package it with applications to form an integrated I.T. solution.

g) RP-Web Compliance

This includes all activities related to compliance to AO332.

h) Website Development

This includes all activities relative to development of websites and information kiosks to ensure transparency and information access to the public per Executive Order 89 dated May 18, 1993.

i) E-Commerce Development

This includes all activities relative to the promotion and use of E-Commerce technologies in agency operations per guidelines from Electronic Commerce Promotion Council created under Executive Order No. 468.

j)  Sectoral IS Development

This includes all activities relative to an agency’s responsibility in IS development and implementation of information systems and applications that cut through agency boundaries as mandated through Executive Orders and other legal issuances.  This includes making agency databases available through the G-WISH.

k) Project Management

This includes all activities relative to the supervision and smooth execution of project Plans and use of IT resources allocated for such purpose.


An Information Systems Planner who is at least a third ranking executive in the Agency shall be designated by the Agency Head to plan the strategic use of IT in the furtherance of agency mission and thrusts in the context of IT21 and the MTPDP.  The IS Planner acts as the executive sponsor and reviews it at the end of the year to align it with the Annual Operations Plans and adjust targets for the following year when necessary, reflecting it in the ISDP.

A Chief Information Officer (CIO) who is at least a Division Chief in charge of implementing the Agency IS Plan shall manage the overall I.T. Program vis-à-vis the available IT resources and allocates them to the various Projects in order to meet the ISDP targets.  The CIO assists the IS Planner in the ISSP formulation, update, objective-setting and target setting during the Yearly Corporate Planning exercise.


The Agency IS Planner shall prepare an Annual Assessment of the Accomplishments vis-à-vis the ISDP focused on the management aspect of the targets for each sub-program described in Section 6. NCC shall consolidate the reports and prepare an Annual Report to NITC and to the Office of the President.

NCC shall regularly inform the President of the major development in the ISDP implementation.


At the end of the year, the Agency IS Planner prepares a report on the cumulative accomplishments of the Annual ISDPs.  This is measured vis-à-vis the agency’s target within the 5-year planning horizon.  NCC then evaluates this report and uses this as a basis for making recommendations to DBM regarding the following year’s funding.  At the end of the 5-year ISSP planning horizon, NCC may require a management audit of the agency’s accomplishments vis-à-vis their 5-year ISSP a basis for evaluating the ISP for the next 5 years. Guidelines for this shall be provided for in succeeding circulars.


10.1    The IS Planner shall work with the Agency IS Management Advisory Committee made up of the agency’s Top Executives, and shall have the following functions:

a)	Set the strategic direction for computerization in the Agency.
b)	Update the ISSP whenever there are changes in the Agency’s mandate or priority
c)	Act as executive sponsor for Agency’s ISSP
d)	Formulates policies/strategies necessary to launch and sustain the Agency’s IT program.

10.2     The CIO, on the other hand, shall work with the Technical Working Group made up of middle level executives in the IT Management Group, and shall have the following functions:

a)	Organize committees/working groups necessary to implement the Agency’s ISSP.
b)	Recommends updates in the ISSP to IS Planner.
c)	Prepares the Annual ISDP’s for funding by DBM/Governing Board/funding institutions.
d)	Allocates resources for the various activities of Agency’s IT program.
e)	Manages the Agency’s IT Program
f)	Develop the IT Manpower to support the Agency’s IT Program.
g)	Regularly updates Agency Management on the progress of IT Program.

10.3    AT NCC’s notification, the IS Planner/CIO may be asked to present the agency’s ISSP/ISDP.


This Circular repeals NCC MC 93-3.


This Memorandum Circular takes effect on November 29, 1999.

(SGD.) RAMON IKE V. SENERES
Director General

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* Text Available at Office of the National Administrative Register, U.P. Law Complex, Diliman, Quezon City.