IFIT Launching highlights the 1st Iloilo Information Technology Week
Opening of the IT Week exhibit at SM City
Iloilo, from left, Provincial Administrator
Manuel Mejorada, Councilor Jed Mabilog
and Dondi Mapa of the Commission on ICT.
The present world is undeniably dependent on the product of rocket science. Technology has evolved from being an unimaginable dream to a reality that outlived the conventional way of life. Technology and its by-products are indeed very useful in every aspect of life.
In relation to this, the local academe and training institutions, the business and industry sector, and the local government hosted the very first Iloilo Information Technology Week. This celebration started last June 13, 2006 with a motorcade and an opening ceremony as well as launching of the exhibits at the Upper Ground Floor of SM City Iloilo.
IT Schools and IT-related businesses are currently conducting a product exhibit through their respective booths. The said booths will be judged and the most creative one will be awarded on the Closing Ceremony and Awarding Program on June 16, 2006. Likewise, the search for icon logo of the newly-launched Iloilo Foundation for Information Technology (IFIT) will come to its end as one of almost-a-dozen entries will be chosen on the closing day.
On its second day, the IFIT Summit Launching and Commitment Ceremony took place at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol where Mr. Roy Perez, Sales Manager for Western Visayas of INNOVE, and Intel's Marketing Officer Marvin Uy gave their inspirational messages. Jaoquin Quintos, the President and CEO of IBM Philippines Inc., identified the four trends in the modern world. According to him, these trends are the trend of smart objects which includes planes and cars, the trend for vast connectedness of everything as evidenced by the currently existing 4.2 billion Internet addresses, the trend to relentlessly collaborate, and the trend of marketplace for expertise.
Commissioner Dondi Mapa of the Commission on ICT cited that emphasis should be focused on teaching, English proficiency, and building up of HR resources for the world. "The teachers are the geese that lays golden eggs. We have to reward them... When we talk about IT, we talk about the better quality of life. That is why the teachers are here," says Mapa.
The President of Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology or Cedf-IT, Mr. Jose Marie Begornia, came to witness the Commitment Ceremony and to bridge the gap between Iloilo and Cebu so as to make Visayas a center of IT.
Launching and Commitment Ceremony,
IFTI Summit.
The Iloilo Foundation for Information Technology or IFIT was patterned after the successful Cedf-IT. The newly-born foundation hopes to parallel the contribution that Cedf-IT has injected on Cebu's economy.
UPV Chancellor and Chair of the Steering committee of the First Iloilo IT Week and IFIT, Dr. Glenn Aguilar, formally presented the Iloilo Foundation for IT. He stated that the Ad Hoc Committee was formed last March of 2006. He too unveiled the strengths of IT in Iloilo. Among those are the presence of sectoral leadership, large volume of college graduates, strong government-private sector collaboration, and financial capabilities. On the contrary, the committee was able to name certain IT-related weaknesses like lack of information on HR supply and demand, limited and high cost of power, absence of IT services industry despite of the presence of providers, and an unclear vision with regard to HR vs. investment promotion.
Dr. Aguilar gave seven reasons for IFIT and they are: connect, coordinate, collaborate, create, compete, challenge, and celebrate.
After a series of brainstorming, IFIT's vision-mission as "the premier development partner for world-class ICT, HR anchored on industry standards" was realized.
In consonance to the birth of IFIT, the Iloilo City Government through Mayor Jerry Treñas supported the Foundation with a PhP 500,000.00. Mayor Trenñas,who left early for another appointment, was represented by his Senior Executive Assistant Francis Cruz.
The Commitment Manifesto of the Academe was led by Fr. Peralta of De Paul College. Heads and representatives of different schools expressed their commitment to IFIT by signing on the said manifesto. A manifesto of the same content was read and signed by Mr. Jess Palmares, the Marketing Head of Bayantel in Western Visayas. Representatives from Business and Industry sector then followed. The same Commitment manifesto was signed by the Government officials as led by DTI-Iloilo Director Diosdado Cadena. Provincial Administrative Head Manuel Mejorada signed in behalf of Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. Butch Muyco of Asset Management and Francis dela Cruz, Board of Trustee of Iloilo Business Club, committed their support for IFIT.
JBLCF's Dr. Adrian Arcelo acted as the Master of Ceremony that afternoon.
The Iloilo IT Ad Hoc committee and the Initial Founding Conveners of the IFIT were: (From the Academe) CPU, JBLCF, Panpacific Training Center, UI, USA, UPV, WVCST, and WVSU; (From Business and Industry) Bayantel, Call Center Integrators, ECHO Costumer Contact Center, ePLDT Ventus, Iloilo Business Club, and Philippine Society of IT Educators; (Government) CHED, DOST, DTI, Iloilo City Government, Iloilo Provincial Government, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.