Philippines partners with Singaporean group to promote digital transformation

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is partnering with a Singapore-based non-profit group to collaborate in the promotion of innovation and digital transformation.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with International Centre for Industrial Transformation (INCIT).

INCIT is an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) institution which champions Industry 4.0 adoption by manufacturers and advocates the rise of smart manufacturing. It is an independent non-profit entity that collaborates with both public and private sector manufacturing-related organizations, to catalyze and support industrial transformation across geographies and industries.

The MOU aims to accelerate the country’s digital transformation by scaling up the adoption of Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI) and other digital transformation initiatives.

SIRI is a globally renowned digital transformation readiness assessment framework, which the DTI has adopted since last year.

It comprises a suite of frameworks and tools to help manufacturers – regardless of size and industry – start, scale, and sustain their manufacturing transformation journeys.

“Through the partnership, DTI and INCIT will collaborate in areas supporting digital transformation, including, but not limited to support to and expansion of SIRI training, examination, workshops, and awareness programs in the Philippines; capacity building of the Philippines in providing Official SIRI Assessments (OSA) from INCIT through local certified SIRI assessors (CSA); and support to the industry transformation roadmap of the Philippines through relevant data analytics and insights from the INCIT platform,”the DTI said.

The expansion of SIRI in manufacturing facilities across the Philippines will be supported financially by the Asian Development Bank.

The DTI is looking  to collaborate with global development partners to grow and develop globally competitive and innovative industries and achieve sustainable, inclusive, and resilient industrial transformation as it continues to implement its science, technology and innovation strategy.

The partnership marks the first time an ASEAN country has partnered with INCIT to adopt the SIRI framework as a national index.  It will open more innovation opportunities that will increase not only the economic growth but also the readiness of the Philippines for Industry 4.0.