Former UnionDigital Bank CEO Aguda named DICT secretary

Former UnionDigital Bank president and CEO Henry Rhoel Aguda has been named the new secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

According to a statement on Thursday, Aguda was personally appointed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to replace former secretary Ivan John Uy, who resigned from the post in March.

Aguda was previously part of Marcos’ Digital Infrastructure Lead at the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), and has experience in the banking, technology and telecommunications sectors with specialization in digital transformation, digital banking and financial crimes.

He formerly served as the board chairman of both City Savings Bank and UBX Philippines, the director of Insular Health Care, BancNet, Metaverse Ventures and Platforms and Philippine Clearing House Corp.; senior executive vice president, among other positions, at Union Bank of the Philippines; and chief technology officer at Amihan Global Strategies, Globe Telecom, Government Service Insurance System, and Digitel.

Aguda was also involved in software development services at WeServ Systems International, led information operations at Nextel, served as assistant vice president at Bayantel Communication Holdings and managed the corporate data network for Meralco. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News