Electronics engineers help sustain ICT development

MANILA, Philippines - The past few years have seen some of the most tremendous growth in the information and communications sector in the Philippines, benefiting many other industries and communities.

Investments in ICT, coupled by a widening demand for faster and more efficient services, have opened the doors for new business opportunities, which also contributed to a sustained growth in the country’s economy.

Since the passage into law of Republic Act 8792, otherwise known as the E-Commerce Act of 2000, ICT has become a socio-economic enabler and not just an end-goal.

All aspects of the society, from business to politics, education to the sciences, have relied on the use of ICT to increase productivity, innovate existing technologies, and make new discoveries that have otherwise taken years to do.

Investments in ICT infrastructure among small to medium scale businesses (SMBs) have been growing especially with more entrepreneurs tapping into cyberspace as a platform to sell their products and services. 

Many SMBs have expanded their operations by investing in hardware, software, and telecommunication services to centralize and monitor their operations. 

Other than the SMBs, large corporations have capitalized on ICT infrastructure not only for competitive advantage but also to streamline their operations, which would have otherwise been a daunting and expensive task.

The unique demands of SMBs up to the large corporations have also given rise to a new breed of service providers that develop specific, modular services, which can be modified to suit the demands of their growing clients.

Even telecom companies have played a role in expanding the use of ICT as they implement next-generation networks, which also have given rise to a variety of unique service propositions, such as cloud computing and hosted services.

Even the “sunshine” industry of business process outsourcing (BPO) also credits its success to strong investments in ICT. This has resulted in the establishment of dozens of BPO providers, providing about 500,000 jobs and contributing at least $10 billion in revenues to the Philippines.

All this growth in the ICT sector also demands expertise and it is also a major challenge to all industries dependent on ICT to find the right professionals to maintain ICT equipment, services, and infrastructure.

This demand is ever growing and the electronics and communications engineering (ECE) sector is taking the challenge of filling up the need for professionals in the ICT sector.

It is the advocacy of the Institute of Electronics and Communications Engineers of the Philippines (IECEP) to provide the ICT sector with skilled engineers. 

The organization is built upon a vision of sustainable expansion in all sectors of development. With ICT as one of the fastest growing sectors, it has mandated itself to create a new breed of professionals who are able to fill the specific necessities of ICT.

The passage of Republic Act 9292 or the Electronics Engineering Law in 2004 saw a positive aspect in terms of government support for electronics engineers and professionals. 

It also paved the way for opening new channels of opportunities where skills development is intertwined with the various aspects of growth in many industries. 

ICT is no exception and it is a positive challenge for the IECEP to produce the best people for the right jobs in this sector.

This year’s IECEP conference dubbed the International Electronics Conference and Expo focused on the ICT sector and its effects on other industries. 

The event, held last Dec. 7-9 at the SMX Convention Center, viewed how else the country’s engineers can support traditional industries that are ever depending on ICT. The theme, “Sustainable Professional Excellence for ICT Development,” marks the IECEP’s commitment to be part of a sector that has already been an integral part of all other industries.