On the assumption that you heard/read the SONA of the President last month, (July 2000), identify at least 3 areas related to ICT and identify how the

What is ICT?

ICT or Information and Communications Technology was created by President Gloria Arroyo

History:

In the year 2000, President Joseph Estrada formed the Information Technology and E-Commerce Council, which merged the powers and functions of the National Information Technology Council and the Electronic Commerce Promotion Council. Four years later, President Gloria Arroyo would abolish ITECC and create the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), We really need a department that will handle the offshoring sector as well as other legislation such as the cybercrime bill and the data privacy bill.

On the assumption that I heard/read the SONA of the President, I identify at 4 areas related to ICT and also I identify how these areas can improve our quality of life.

1. creating wealth by developing the BPO and tourism sectors as additional engines of growth

The President said in her SONA:

Kung noong nakaraan, lumakas ang electronics, today we are creating wealth by developing the BPO and tourism sectors as additional engines of growth. Electronics and other manufactured exports rise and fall in accordance with the state of the world economy. But BPO remains resilient. “With earnings of $6 billion and employment of 600,000, the BPO phenomenon speaks eloquently of our competiveness and productivity. Let us have a Department of ICT.”

2. Telecommunications Commission

The President said in her SONA:

Sa telecommunications naman, inatasan ko ang Telecommunications Commission na kumilos na tungkol sa mga sumbong na dropped calls at mga nawawalang load sa cell phone. We need to amend the Commonwealth-era Public Service Law. And we need to do it now. Addressing to the National Telecommunications Commission to act on complaints against dropped calls and lost cellphone load. “We need to amend the Commonwealth-era Public Service Law. And we need to do it now.”

3. creation of DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology)

The President said in her SONA:

Pres. Gloria Arroyo on Monday made a final push for the creation of DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) in her last State of the Nation Address (Sona). Let us have a Department of ICT. Philippines is now starting to create wealth with the development of the BPO industry as an engine of growth.

4. voting!

The President said in her SONA:

As the seeds of fundamental political reform are planted, let us address the highest exercise of democracy - voting!

In her 9th State of the Nation Address, Mrs. Arroyo cited the role of the BPO and tourism sectors as engines of growth in the country.

She noted that while electronics and other manufactured exports rise and fall in accordance with the state of the world economy, the BPO sector has remained resilient and continues to grow.

Currently the country has recorded a $4.8 billion market share of outsourcing operations employing a total of 650,000 workers.

IT stakeholders from Davao will be having a summit which will prepare an roadmap that will include a short to medium term plan for Davao's IT industry. Currently Davao is ranked the 4th most preferred investment destination for Business Process Outsourcing companies from a study prepared by the CICT. Presently BPO operations in the City, are growing despite the ongoing global recession, it currently is employing 6,000 workers locally, with job demand steadily growing as several big-ticket BPO players are expanding operations while others are moving in to the City with the opening of the Ayala and Robinson IT parks.

Fournier said that Government's policy towards IT has contributed to the growth of the sector particularly CICT which he said is actively moving to develop the industry.

Recently President Arroyo was cited by the Contact Center Association of the Philippines for her support to the industry among the concrete government initiatives cited by the group include PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) incentives, CICT (Commission on Information and Communications Technology) formation and the P50-million PGMA scholarship fund for call center training.

RESOURCES:

http://enjoyfrancis.com/news-and-info/ict-players-await-pgma%E2%80%99s-sona-speech/

http://www.mb.com.ph/node/213088/gma-

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&sec=reader&rp=2&fi=p090716.htm&no=11&date=07/16/2009

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/technology/07/27/09/arroyo-oks-creation-ict-department