10th NICP Summit: Developing the Countryside Through ICT

A decade of inclusive digital transformation, the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) celebrated its 10th year anniversary by holding the 10th NICP Summit here, November 22-24, 2018 at the Avenue Plaza Hotel.

With this year’s theme: “A Decade of Inclusive Countryside Development: Managing Digital Transformation Driven by Disruptive Technologies,” the Summit showcased NICP’s ten (10) years of championing a more sustainable and inclusive ICT development in the countryside.

The 3-day activity includes: plenary and breakout sessions that will let the participants get into discussions with industry and government leaders on game changing topics impacting on industry, government and the academe and Cybersecurity Workshop – an intensive foundational training workshop with hands-on sessions for beginner and intermediate-level cybersecurity professionals.

There were also Digital Startup Sessions meant for would-be and existing tech startups, investors and businessmen seeking opportunities in the startup industry, and local government executives and Networking and Business Matching Sessions, Exhibits and IT/BPM & Tech Job Fair, among others.

Summit and ICT Bicol Council Chairman Daniel A. De Leon said that the assembly is the culmination of three (3) cluster summits and the convergence of three sectors – the Academe which produces the talents; the Industry that provides jobs and investments; and the Government.

“This is what we will showcase in the Summit, – that the government, the industry and the academe will be united and work together to push for the countryside development. These three sectors should work in tandem and synergy, and together they can accomplish more,” De Leon added.

With its focus on developing the countryside, NICP President Dr. Antonio M. Del Carmen hopes bringing ICT to the countryside will benefit the constituents by the new jobs that it will create, the new opportunities especially for the graduates of schools in the provinces.

“You know that 70% of the graduates in the Philippines are coming from the countryside, and it is unfair that we being them to Metro Manila and work there. We need to give them jobs where they are. That’s why the efforts of NICP through its ICT Councils is to allow investors to come and appreciate the opportunities that are here in the countryside,” Del Carmen explained.

The Summit was graced by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Monchito Ibrahim who led the opening of the program and ribbon-cutting of the ICT Exhibits and IT/BPM & Job Fair held at The Tent, Avenue Plaza and at the 3rd Floor of the Avenue Convention Plaza, respectively. (JRM-PIA5/Camarines Sur)