ICT execs seek partnership with Brunei industry players

EXECUTIVES of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Davao will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with major industry players from Brunei for possible partnerships.

ICT-Davao president Lizabel Holganza, speaking in Wednesday's Club 888 Forum at the Marco Polo Hotel Davao, said the signing of MOU will underscore the role of women in the information and technology development and possible outsourcing of IT solutions developed by local developers.

"They are looking at IT solutions in which they can use in their country," Holganza said.

The InfoCom Federation Brunei (IFB), which is composed of all the industry players in IT, will visit Davao City to finally sign the MOU with the ICT-Davao executives. The signing will take place sometime next month, and in time for the Innovation Expo at the Abreeza Ayala Mall on November 9 to 11.

Holganza said they are not closing its doors for possible direct investments from the investors in Brunei. She said the delegation from Brunei will also conduct business matching in areas of ICT, tourism, and agriculture with their respective counterpart stakeholders in Mindanao.
"The effect will really benefit the industry," she said.

The new undertaking will pursue business negotiations through bilateral agreements after the MOU signing.

Samuel Matunog, ICT-Davao vice president for industry development, said they are hoping that the MOU signing will mark the beginning of more strengthened partnerships with countries in Southeast Asia.

Matunog, who is also the president of Davao Software Industry Inc. (DSII), cited this possible joint undertaking between ICT-Davao and IFB as an opportunity wherein locally developed IT solutions can be utilized by the industries as well in areas within the region of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean).

ICT-Davao executive vice president Bert Barriga added that negotiations between them and the executives of IFB have been constant since last year, but it's only now that they finally decided to strengthen tie-up in terms of outsourcing IT solutions from the local IT developers.

Holganza said there have been existing collaborations between the members of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippine East Asean Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga).

This is the first time, however, that partnership will be formalized through a MOU signing.