July 28, 2023, Panglao, Bohol

Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) addressed the 32nd Visayas Area Business Conference in Panglao, Bohol last July 28, 2023. As a daughter of the Visayas herself, she expressed her pride and gratitude for being invited to the event. She recognized the dynamic and vibrant ecosystem in the Visayas as a key contributor to her personal and professional journey.

Sigue delivered an insightful speech outlining the agency’s plans to drive digital transformation and promote inclusive growth in the Visayas region. The conference brought together business leaders, government officials, and stakeholders from the Visayas to discuss strategies for economic development and progress in the Digital Age.

She underscored her deep connections to the Visayas, where most of her accomplishments in the past 10 to 15 years have taken place. She recognized the dynamic and vibrant ecosystem in the Visayas as a key contributor to her personal and professional journey.

In her address, Batapa-Sigue emphasized that digitalization is not an end in itself but rather a means to achieve positive outcomes and impacts in the lives of Filipinos. She advocated for a focus on human connections and collaboration among academic, government, and private sectors to drive innovation and create jobs. She introduced her concept of “MAGIC,” which stands for making academic, government, industry, and private sectors collaborate—a formula that she believes will drive jobs and innovation.

The DICT Undersecretary highlighted four critical challenges faced in the digital transformation journey:

1. Infrastructure and Connectivity: While connectivity is essential, other aspects like power supply are equally crucial. Batapa-Sigue encouraged exploring a game plan to ensure cybersecurity and connectivity for power to meet the needs of various areas.
2. Cybersecurity and Data Privacy: As the internet penetration rate in the Philippines reaches 73%, ensuring the safety of more than 90 million Filipinos online becomes a significant responsibility. Policymakers and industry players need to work together to develop strategies for cybersecurity and data protection.
3. Policy and Regulatory Framework: Batapa-Sigue stressed the importance of businesses being proactive in engaging with policymakers to shape regulations that drive growth and digital transformation. Waiting for policies to be made is not sufficient; businesses need to take an active role in the process.
4. Digital Skills Gap: With talent becoming a precious resource, the focus should be on bridging the digital skills gap through collaboration with educational institutions and industry players.

Undersecretary Batapa-Sigue shared the role and mandates of the DICT as the primary agency for digital transformation in the Philippines. She revealed several ongoing and upcoming projects aimed at fostering ICT industry development, improving public access to information and connectivity, and addressing digital skills gaps.

Batapa-Sigue revealed the encouraging news that the Philippines is projected to have 2.5 million IT and Business Process Management (BPM) jobs by 2028. She emphasized the importance of developing talent and infrastructure in the regions, with the goal of shifting 55% of the IT jobs outside of Metro Manila to promote inclusive growth.

The Undersecretary called for the active participation of the business community, particularly the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), in bringing digital initiatives and ICT development interventions to the regions. She stressed the need to empower women and girls in the IT sector and encouraged everyone to work together to drive positive change in their communities.

In conclusion, Undersecretary Batapa-Sigue reiterated that digital transformation goes beyond technology—it requires new ways of thinking, innovation, and collaboration to bring about positive and sustainable change in society. She invited all stakeholders to actively engage in shaping the future of the digital landscape in the Visayas and the Philippines as a whole.

The speech of Undersecretary Batapa-Sigue at the 32nd Visayas Area Business Conference was met with enthusiasm and commitment from the attendees, who showed their support for the initiatives and plans to drive digital transformation and inclusive growth in the region.