Dagupan Now Primed to be New IT Hub in PHL

Dagupan City (PNA) -– An official of the Information Technology Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) has declared that Dagupan City is now at its prime to be the next Information Technology (IT) hub in the country.

Jonathan Defensor De Luzuriaga, also president of the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), spoke during an Information Technology Business Process Management (IT–BPM) Industry Forum attended the city’s ICT stakeholders sponsored by the Dagupan City Information and Communications Technology (DCITC) at CSI Stadia here.

Two of the city’s established ICT stakeholders, the PLDT and Globe participated in the forum along with the different ICT representatives of the different colleges and universities in the city, government agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry and the local government of Dagupan and other ICT organizations.

The council, with Mayor Belen T. Fernandez as chairman, aims to develop an IT-BPM industry in the city in a bid to create jobs to at least 500 to 5,000 IT graduates especially so that the city has been recognized as one of the top 10 next wave cities in the country.

And as such, Dagupan was adjudged as one of the best locations for Information Technology and Business Process Management Industry next to Manila, Cebu, Clark and Bacolod City.

“Dagupan must walk in cadence with the rest of the country with many urban communities and cities in mad dash to claim a share in the great promise of IT-BPM opportunities driving a new level of growth, and bringing the dreams of its people to reality that comes with an improved and better disposable income for those who will be employed by these businesses,” said Mayor Fernandez.

The mayor expressed optimism that the opportunities that is now in the city’s doorstep is an opportunity that can change the path that the city is taking.

“If I am glowingly confident about the prospects of this venture, it is because I believe what this means to the dreams of many Dagupeños and their families,” she added.

De Luzuriaga assured that in June, he will submit to the city the IT-BPM roadmap of Dagupan which if followed is expected to create employment, development and revenues.

“Once this road map is in place, this would mean more jobs and more jobs to come in the city. We just need to work for it because it would take more than the city government to make this work. If we can create job opportunities here then our graduates need not go someplace outside the city to be able to seek employment. This is not a political exercise but an economic exercise. We are creating jobs for the people,” said De Luzuriaga.

De Luzuriaga lauded Mayor Fernandez for being aggressive in bringing the IT–BPM Industry in the city and in her determination to provide jobs for the people.

Members of DCICTC had been coming to the city several times to see for themselves how much the city have progressed and has already accessed a great deal of information and assessed the core strengths and potentials of the city as an investment destination. (PNA) FFC/LVM/RMA