RP bids to become 'Global Center in ICT'

The Philippines will be using the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector as the vehicle to be more visible in the world market, while bidding to become the "Global Center in ICT" in the next five years.

This was the commitment made by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo yesterday during her keynote speech at the opening of the three-day Cebu ICT International Conference and Exhibition held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

The ICT conference carries the theme "Asia's emerging role as a global center for IT and IT-enabled services."

Arroyo who greeted the key players in ICT sector from the Philippines and other countries with good news on the revenue and economic performance of the "politically battered" country, said her government will continue the vibrant momentum of ICT related investments, and employment, even double or triple the figures until the end of her term in 2010.

"There are more significant reforms on the pipeline,"Arroyo said emphasizing that the Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) will be given the utmost spotlight in order to be globally competitive.

While the Phase I of her reforms is already near completion, the President said Phase II will involve an effective strategy to attract investments, most especially in promoting the Philippines as the center for outsourcing demand in the world market.

She mentioned that in the last four years the outsourcing sector has grown from zero to 72,000 jobs to-date, this number is expected to double or triple in the next few months.

"We are truly back in the map of Asia and the world through ICT," she stressed.

He said in order to achieve the ambitious goal of becoming the Global Center in ICT, in terms of attracting investments, and providing services in ICT related operations, she vowed to wipe out problems in corruption, custom's reform, and provide an environment that is conducive for multinational investments.

Aside from outsourcing, BPO services, and other sub-sectors in the ICT that have shown huge potential to raise up the Philippines' capability to attract investments and services demand, the President made special mention on her full support for the development of the country's software development industry.

Arroyo stressed that another promising industry in the ICT sector that would help to pull up the Philippines' name in the world's ICT market is the software development industry.

Yesterday, the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) presented to the President the Fly High: Philippine Software 2010, a blueprint of the industry meant to convey the lofty potential of which Philippine software industry is capable.

Putting her confidence on the skilled software developers in the country, Arroyo said the target to develop 100,000 software developers in 2010 is highly achievable.

Currently, there are 30,000 software developers in the country. The industry players are now trying to implement a system that would sustain and grow the number, while controlling the 'brain-drain" issue.

The FLY HIGH acronym serves as a slogan representing the quantifiable goals of the 21 Action Items encompassed in the give Action Areas.

These are as follows;

F: Fifty software development companies aligned with international quality standards.

L: Locate operations of 50 foreign-based software companies in the Philippines

Y: Yes to development of "Brand Philippines"

H: Hire 100,000 software workers and support improved recruitment, retooling, and retention

I: Increase intellectual property compliance for software three percent annually.

G: Government software investment to increase 10 percent annually, and

H: Have social and physical infrastructure in place to support industry goals.

PSIA president Fermin Taruc said the organization, together with the Cebu Software Industry Association (CebuSoft) and the Association of Solution Integrators in Davao (ASID), are working closely with the Commission on Information & Communications Technology (CICT), and other concerned government agencies like Department of Trade and Industry, Board of Investments, among others.

The President has recently declared the month of June as the Philippines ICT month, making the ongoing Cebu ICT and International Conference and Exhibition as the flagship event.