Question 1

Can Philippine government agencies legally use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Both are permissible under the DICT Cloud First Policy, provided the agency classifies its data correctly and applies the controls required for that classification tier.

Question 2

Does government data have to be stored in the Philippines?

Accepted Answer

Not for non-sensitive and restricted data, which may be held on accredited public cloud services. Confidential and above-sensitive data carries stricter deployment requirements. DICT Department Circular No. 010, s. 2020 establishes that Philippine government data in the cloud remains governed by Philippine law regardless of physical location.

Question 3

Which is cheaper, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace?

Accepted Answer

Entry tiers are broadly comparable, with Google Workspace often slightly lower at the bottom of the range. The more useful comparison is total cost, including any rework to existing reporting templates.

Question 4

Can we migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 later?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Mail, calendar, contacts and Drive content can all be migrated using established tooling. Plan for user communication and a cutover window.

Question 5

What licence should an LGU buy?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft 365 Business Standard suits offices needing desktop Office and cloud services. Business Premium adds Intune device management, Entra ID P1 and Defender, worth the difference for offices handling personal data or managing multiple laptops.

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