James Kevin M. Sagocsoc, Provincial Officer (Camiguin), Region 10, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), The Philippines

1. What does public service mean to you? Can you share more about your role in the public sector?  

For me, public service means turning national digital policies into tangible, grassroots solutions. It's about ensuring every community, no matter how geographically isolated, stays connected.  

As the Provincial Officer for DICT Camiguin, I serve as a primary implementer of this transformation. I also hold the following regional delegations as the Project Focal for the ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB), the National ICT Policy and Planning Standards Bureau (NIPPSB), and the RDI Unit.

My mission focuses on building an inclusive digital ecosystem by synchronising ICT industry development, regulatory policy, and technological innovation as a unified engine for progress and economic growth.  

2. Tell us about a project you championed. What impact did it have on the community?  

As the Lead for the KRIM Subcommittee, I championed RDC-X Resolution No. 29 (s. 2024)—supplemented by RRDIC-X Resolution 2026-01—which institutionalised a unified digital and innovation framework across Region 10. This policy breakthrough paved the way for the “MAGIC” approach: Making Academe, Government, and Industry Collaborate.  

Instead of relying on top-down directives, this initiative flips the script. It empowers local government units and MSMEs to present their real-world challenges directly to homegrown tech talent, effectively transforming grassroots problems into tangible local economic opportunities.  

This framework sparked an entire ecosystem of collaborative, ICT-based solutions, impacting the community across three vital sectors:  

• Economic Empowerment: We launched the Annual Reverse Pitching Competition for tailored tech adoption, and Tech-Tuesdays to drive MSME digital upskilling. To connect local talent with the IT-BPM sector, we deployed ICT Caravan 2.0, alongside DigiPay, to accelerate cashless rural commerce.  
• Resilient & Smart Governance: We built Project HIRAYA, the region’s first cloud-based RDI portal for evidence-based policymaking. For disaster resilience, we deployed Edge AI-powered VISIONS for off-grid radio imagery and ResQR for offline relief distribution. We also modernised public transport through the RFID-based iTRAK system.  
• Future-Proofing Education: We empowered our youth and educators through KAALAM, upskilling teachers in Fourth Industrial Revolution tools, and the Annual Minecraft & Mobile Robotics program to cultivate STEM literacy. 

3. As a young professional, how has your unique background or perspective allowed you to identify a solution that others in your organisations might have overlooked?  

Traditionally, public sector innovation is pushed top-down. Operating at the intersection of the Bureaus I lead, I saw an opportunity to leverage innovation as a grassroots economic driver.  

With my modern initiatives, Region 10 achieves this through two distinct frameworks. First, through the DICT Government-to-Government (G-to-G) Initiative, we address the digitalisation hurdles of partner LGUs by directly deploying local startups as primary solution makers.

Second, our Annual Reverse Pitching Competition flips the traditional startup model. LGUs, Industry, and MSMEs pitch their real-world challenges to academic innovators.  

4. What is your personal strategy for maintaining your creative energy when faced with bureaucracy? 

Many see government bureaucracy as a brick wall, but I treat it like a puzzle. Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, I focus on launching small, impactful proof-of-concept projects until the big picture is formed.

Progress often halts when funding is constrained. However, by proactively building strong alliances with the academe, industry, and local government leaders, we effectively turn social capital into operational capital, pooling resources to co-create solutions together.  

5. If you had just one area to invest in to accelerate transformation in the public sector, what would you choose and why?  

If I had to choose just one area, it would be Grassroots Innovation Capacity.  

In Region 10, we face geographic isolation and frequent climate threats. I have learned that advanced infrastructure and frameworks are ineffective without the right people to drive them.  

By investing heavily in local human capital and empowering rural educators, MSMEs, and homegrown tech talent, we transition citizens from mere consumers of technology to creators of digital solutions. When you equip a community to solve its own challenges, resilient governance and sustainable economic growth naturally follow.  

6. What is your greatest ambition as you grow in your public service career?  

My greatest ambition is to establish Northern Mindanao as a global model for inclusive and resilient smart governance.

For a long time, there has been a lingering belief that rural and island communities are destined to trail behind major cities. I want to shatter that belief.

By championing equitable digital transformation, we can shift public service from reactive to proactive. I envision a future where advanced technology is accessible to everyone in Region 10, empowering grassroots communities to overcome geographic isolation and other vulnerabilities. 

7. What is a “universal value” that connects everyone in your department – from interns to directors – and how do you use that to drive collaboration?  

The universal value binding our department is Inclusive Empathy, a principle we bring to life through Digital Bayanihan. We believe technology must empower people and bridge inequalities rather than merely advancing infrastructure.

Digital Bayanihan transforms this belief into communal action cascading beneath ranks. It is the modern spirit of unity where we pool shared resources to solve local challenges together. By embedding empathy into our digital initiatives, we ensure that every solution we deploy directly uplifts marginalised lives, proving that true innovation requires deep human connection and care.  

8. What is the best piece of advice you’ve got for the next generation of public servants? 

Our "why" is the people we serve. 

Driving digital transformation and regional innovation can be incredibly demanding. There will be days when the work feels overwhelming, tiring, and you might even feel completely lost. In those moments, my best advice is to simply look back and remember your "whys", the very reason you started.  

Whether it is bridging the digital divide or building resilient communities, ground yourself in that core mission. Let the impact you want to create reignite your drive to push forward.  

9. What is a myth you wish to debunk about young public servants?  

There is a persistent myth that young public servants want a comfortable, laid-back job.

However, as a young leader driving digital initiatives, I can assure you the reality is intensely demanding. Enacting real change requires rigorous and relentless effort. We are not simply clocking in to coast through the day.

We are taking advantage of our youth to actively innovate and uplift our communities. True public service is never a relaxed fallback; it is a profound commitment to solving complex challenges for our people.  

10. Write a letter to your future self in 2035. 

Dear Future James,  

I hope you still prefer rolling up your sleeves over sitting behind a desk. Keep leading with relentless empathy. Never see citizens as mere statistics, but always use technology to amplify human dignity across every community you serve.  

I pray the system hasn't worn down your idealism. I hope you still approach challenges as opportunities. If you have reached the pinnacle of your career, remember the quiet pride of serving your dream to work under DICT, and the unwavering belief that real change happens from the ground up.

You are on the right path. 

Keep fighting for those on the margins. Above all, I hope you have maintained the balance between your fierce dedication to the nation and the joyful, quiet moments with your loved ones at home.  

Please, never lose your heart for the people.