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Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Cabaero: ‘Asian century’
By Nini B. Cabaero
Beyond 30
The beginning of a partnership on information technology (IT) between China and India presents a unique opportunity for the Philippines.
The first step in such partnership took place in the visit by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Bangalore, India, last week where he proposed that the two countries pool their IT resources to herald a new “Asian century.”
Wen spoke before IT professionals in Bangalore to push for the joining of Chinese and Indian forces. “I strongly believe that if we join hands together, we will certainly be able to set a new trail in the IT business world. When the particular day comes, it will signify the coming of the Asian century of the IT industry,” Wen said.
China and India have the biggest populations in the world and have been in recent years in the forefront of unprecedented growth in the information technology field.
Indian professionals trained in first world countries returned to their home country to build up their own IT businesses and share their new knowledge with fellow Indians. China’s entry into the IT field was delayed at the start by cynicism over anything western and open. Even websites containing modern-world information were banned. As IT acceptance grew among the young Chinese people, the government decided it could not close its eyes anymore to the information age. From then on, China’s role in the field has been described as phenomenal.
India’s expertise has been in software development, while China crows at its computer hardware proficiency. It will be a marriage of software and hardware.
“Cooperation is just like two pagodas - one hardware and one software,” Wen said. “Combined, we can take the leadership position in the world.”
Where lies the opportunity for the Philippines?
The Philippines’ asset had always been its people. Whether in the field of health care, construction, banking, and, yes, IT, Filipinos in any part of the world stand out for their competence, work attitude and adaptability. It helps too that Filipino workers speak English.
An estimated 400,000 college graduates are produced each year and, of that number, about 100,000 are in the information and communications technology field who may end up as programmers, systems analysts, graphics artists and in other IT positions.
Government and the private sector inside and outside of Metro Manila have taken steps to promote IT education, maintain quality standards and present those who complete their learning with work opportunities here or abroad.
The expertise of Filipinos in information technology could be as valuable as the software knowledge of India and the hardware proficiency of China. This is a role Filipinos can play in the new “Asian century.”
(email: ninicab@sunstar.com.ph)
(April 12, 2005 issue)
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