DIGITAL leaders have gathered to show the world that all three Visayas regions are ready to welcome thousands more of jobs and opportunities enabled by information and communications technology (ICT).
In the ninth annual installment of the Visayas ICT Cluster (Victor) Conference last week, major cities showcased their best practices to inspire other locations to leverage of ICTs in delivering public services, generating jobs and developing the local economy.
With the cities of Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod and Dumaguete already serving as host locations to major ICT locators, and the cities of Tacloban, Roxas and Tagbilaran now named as Digital Cities, more towns and cities in the Visayas gear to become the next locations.
For 2021, Victor, which is a platform to promote the potential of the Visayan Islands as location for ICT investments, embraced the theme "Leveraging the Visayas for Philippine Digital Transformation."
This year's host was the ICT Association of Dumaguete and Negros Oriental in partnership with the Department of Information Communication and Technology (DICT).
Since 2012, Victor under the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) has harnessed the unity of the ICT leaders in the three Visayan regions -- Western Visayas (Region 6), Central Visayas (Region 7) and Eastern Visayas (Region 8) -- to support and sustain the growth of the ICT industry.
This is by creating a working synergy for all ICT Councils representing different cities and provinces.
The NICP works through its member ICT councils, which are generally composed of government, academe and industry to develop, implement and sustain strategies to create more jobs and drive innovation in the countryside.
Both Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo and Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo acknowledged the importance of the ICT industry in creating jobs for their locals as well as for many parts of the country.
The two local chief executives committed to support the initiatives of their local ICT champions.
DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan II and Undersecretary Emmanuel Rey Caintic both highlighted his agency's programs that support countryside initiatives.
These include the ongoing improvement of connectivity in the Visayas, development, and promotion of "digital cities," support programs for skilling, upskilling and re-skilling, and the development of strong startup ecosystems.
Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, for his part, shared his commitment to promote policies in support of digital transformation, especially in the area of generating more employment during this time of pandemic and even beyond.
During the showcase of the best practices, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Western Visayas Director Rowen Gelonga shared about the Innovate Iloilo program, while Tagbilaran City Tourism Office May Hope Arcenal talked about Digital Tourism practices in her city.
Judilyn Cañete, president of Medstar Philippines based in the United States and Bacolod City, discussed the opportunities in healthcare information management (HIM) while Tacloban Management Information Head Randy Calahi presented the city's Covid-19 Scan: Surveillance, Contact Tracing, Analysis and Networking System.
A special panel on how to build a strong startup ecosystem in the countryside was composed of DICT Director Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin of the ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB), Co-founder of Getaprofessor Reuben Los Baños, Founder of Paytaca Dr. Joemar Tagana, and Technology Business Incubator Manager of Silliman University Professor Janice Antoniette Forster.
Government agencies also shared relevant laws to improve the Visayas digital industry.
Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) Director General Jeremiah Belgica discussed the Ease of Doing Business.
Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) Director General Charito Plaza and Board of Investments Executive Director Maria Corazon Halili-Dichosa both shared the salient point of Republic Act 11534 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (Create) and their respective offices' mandate and programs.
StarPay's Product Management Head Ryan Uy discussed eCommerce and FinTech.
Microsoft Public Sector Director Joanna Rodriguez talked about Digital Learning while Eastern Communications Head of Visayas Regional Operations Rafael Castellano underscored the connectivity in the new normal.
The afternoon of the second day was devoted to the fifth Visayas Creative Congress (CreaCon) featuring Opportunities for Design and Creatives in the Visayas and a showcase of Visayan digital creative talents.
Featured national speakers were Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) Chairman Alvin Juban; Animation Council of the Philippines (ACPI) Executive Director Daniel Enriquez; and Creative Content Creators Association of the Philippines (Sikap) President Magoo del Mundo.
Joining them was Creative Entertainment Champion Lawrence Panganiban of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).
The Visayas talents featured include Xteve Abanto, a Marvel Cover Artist from Dumaguete City; Maej Anfone, founder of Art6200 in Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental; Winston Cangsuco, graphic designer and illustrator from Cebu City; Philmore "Emot" Amodia, founder of Emottoons Studio in Lapu-Lapu City; Debbie Tudtud and Carlyn Ceniza, Stop Motion Animators from FizzBuzz in Cebu City; and Kris Villarino, a filmmaker, content creator, and rap artist based in Cebu City.
Bacolod-based lawyer and former NICP president Jocelle Batapa-Sigue served as lead moderator for the two-day event on August 25 and 26.
As a digital countryside champion, Batapa-Sigue sees the unity among Visayas ICT councils as a good signal for the Visayas' regional economy to stay strong despite the pandemic. (Erwin P. Nicavera/With reports from PR)