Cebu ICT sector sends wish list to government

CEBU, Philippines – In its bid to level up from an emerging BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) destination in the world to a fully emerged investment site, Cebu's Information, Communication Technology (ICT) sector formally presented its requests to the national government hoping to gain favor -this time.

Cebu's ICT sector represented by Cebu Educational Development Foundation of Information Technology (Cedfit) chairman Bonifacio Belen emphasized its need for support from the government by developing the technology of entrepreneurs; full automation of LGUs (Local Government Units) and National Governmental Agencies (NGAs); and the revisiting of the need for a national broadband.

While Cebu is continuing its promotion to attract IT and BPO multinational companies, "we need to encourage and even 'teach' local entrepreneurs to invest in the outsourcing business."

Aside from the three important points, Belen emphasized the need for the government to seriously consider installing the Department of ICT.

The Department of ICT could mandate the full automation of LGUs and NGAs and support for automation of private firms.

He said the ICT industry stakeholders are willing to work closely with NGAs which roles are sensitive to the development of ICT such as the Commission of Higher Education (CHED), Department of Trade and Industry, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Science and Technology and other agencies.

This close collaboration that is also in line with the present government thrust to promote Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) is seen to advance the promotion of the country as a premier investment destination for IT and BPO

An important partnership with the academe is also pushed, in order to ensure quality and quantity of ICT graduates.

Belen asked the government formally include the ICT/BPO industry to the export sector and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in particular can help in terms of providing their expertise to the local ICT entrepreneurs on how to maximize the outsourcing business-as potential export commodity.

Having worked with DTI, I know that it has a wealth of experience in export development thru CITEM, PTTC, BETP that could be tapped once Outsourcing is viewed in this light --as part of the export service sector," Belen said.

While the private sector pushes for the promotion of IT and BPO as the industry of the future for our country, having "finally discovered our niche as a major service provider for the knowledge-based global ICT industry", Belen said adding that the industry hopes that most LGUs and NGAs be fully automated within the next decade.

"This will not only facilitate good governance, but more importantly it will ensure transparency and radically reduce corruption. Support that will encourage private businesses to automate would also be most welcome," he said.

In Korea or Singapore, for instance, deployment of ERP is subsidized by as much as 50 percent. This will also ensure that the right taxes are paid, Belen added.

Significantly, the government is also called to re-visit the need for a "national broadband."

Belen said the Philippines' telecom industry only connects 66 percent of the country.

Developed economies on the other hand, like Korea, provide up to 10MB bandwidth to every nook and corner of their country, compared to the 2MB that is close to Philippines' standard.

"Apart from high bandwidth it is also worth noting that the price of our 2MG is closer to the 10MG price paid for by users in developed countries," he stressed. (FREEMAN)