PSAC outlines program to develop digital infrastructure

MANILA, Philippines — The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) has proposed initiatives to President Marcos aimed at developing the country’s digital infrastructure and generating one million digital jobs.

In a statement yesterday, the PSAC said the council presented strategies to develop the country’s digital infrastructure.

Among those discussed is the 10,000 Digital Civil Servants project involving trainings to improve the government’s ability to deliver digital services.

A memorandum of agreement will be signed with partners such as the Civil Service Commission, Private Sector Jobs & Skills Corp., Ayala Group, SM Group, National University and Mapua University to get this initiative started.

The project will begin with a foundational training of 40 participants in Singapore who will lead a larger training cohort in the Philippines.

During the meeting, President Marcos directed the creation of one million digital jobs by 2028 to align opportunities with the evolving needs of the labor market.

The President also advocated for a presidential directive to empower the Inter-Agency Council for Development and Competitiveness of the Philippine Digital Workforce, which will spearhead public-private partnerships needed to implement skills development and training programs.

To address the critical need for broader internet coverage, Marcos ordered the prioritization of expanding connectivity in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

In line with this, PSAC come up develop a detailed proposal for nationwide digital connectivity following a commercial agreement model to facilitate the construction and establishment of the necessary infrastructure.

The initiative is aimed at enabling widespread and reliable digital access to achieve inclusive growth and sustained digital engagement across the country.

At present, there are efforts being undertaken by the Department of Energy as well as the Department of the Interior and Local Government aimed at streamlining the permitting processes and reducing bureaucratic delays in deploying telecommunications infrastructure.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla has also introduced a security and rationalization program for protecting submarine cables and transmission lines, considered crucial to ensure seamless digital connectivity, especially in regions prone to land reclamation activities.

“With these government-endorsed initiatives, we are set to transform the Philippine digital infrastructure, ensuring competitiveness in the global digital economy and fostering digital inclusivity for all Filipinos,” Henry Aguda, who serves as PSAC digital infrastructure sector lead and UnionDigital Bank president and CEO.

Composed of business leaders and experts across six main sectoral groups such as agriculture, digitalization, jobs, healthcare, basic infrastructure and tourism, the PSAC was created to strengthen synergies between the private and public sectors.

The PSAC is committed to help the government transform the economy by implementing infrastructure programs, creating jobs, attracting more investors, digitizing processes and improving agricultural productivity.