The Province of Siquijor embraced the prospects of the Information Age as local stakeholders from the public and private sector gathered together to create an information and communication technology (ICT) council last August 22.
Leading the initiative of Siquijor Governor Zaldy Villa who hosted a capacity development training conducted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Lawyer Jocelle Batapa-Sigue of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) served as key resource person and facilitator while DICT program manager Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin presented the different programs of DICT which are aimed to support ICT development especially in the countryside. Also present was Frederick Amores, head of DICT Visayas Cluster 1.
Villa encouraged all the participants to help the provincial government achieved its goal of elevating its status as a fifth class municipality, to at least third class, especially because the island province is now 5th tourist destination in the country.
The governor, now of his second term, stressed on the need for a reliable telecommunications infrastructure in Siquijor as a prerequisite to all ICT programs.
Both Villa and Siquijor Vice Governor Mei Ling Quezon challenged representatives from the academe, government and business sector to work together to address the issues and develop strategies for Siquijor to be a part of the ICT development in the Philippines.
Sigue shared the experience of other locations in ensuring that the four major considerations in the ICT industry are met, namely, talent development, business environment and risk management (BERM), costs if doing business and availability of infrastructure and utilities.
Prior to the workshop, more than a hundred barangay officials and teachers also underwent a seminar in cyber-trafficking, online child pornography and cyber-bullying prevention under the Visayas Cluster 1 of DICT.
/JB-Sigue
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