BACOLOD CITY, July 1, 2025 — In a powerful display of regional collaboration and digital ambition, Bacolod City hosted the Invest in Bacolod and Negros Occidental Forum at Mansion De Bacolod. The event brought together local innovation leaders from academe, government and industry to advance the vision of creating 100,000 digital jobs in the Negros Island Region (NIR).

Convened by Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, under the Philippine ICT Innovation Network, the forum aimed to spotlight Bacolod and Negros Occidental as emerging hubs for IT-BPM expansion and ICT-enabled jobs and investments, AI infrastructure, digital workforce development, and creative industry growth.

Vice Mayor-elect Kalaw Puentevella, representing the City Government of Bacolod, conveyed full support under the leadership of Mayor Greg Gasataya, outlining a clear three-year roadmap for innovation and investment. “We are here to empower our communities, invite sustainable partnerships, and build a future-ready Bacolod,” Puentevella said in his opening message.

Judily Cañete, CEO of MedStar Philippines, welcomed guests with a call to action—urging both local and national stakeholders to work together in equipping rural talents for the digital economy.

The event featured top industry leaders across diverse digital and innovation sectors:

James Thompson, Executive Director of WrkPod, demonstrated how their hybrid virtual workforce model is transforming how companies operate—offering flexible, location-independent work solutions that connect countryside talent with global clients.

Atty. Wilbur Gadicho, Vice President for Human Resources at iQor Philippines and Hong Kong, emphasized that success in digital job generation hinges on values-driven HR practices and workforce culture, highlighting iQor’s years of experience in provincial talent development.

Eli Harrell, Co-Founder of Emerge PH, discussed the importance of building not just jobs, but transformational leadership pipelines within local communities—leaders who think globally, act locally, and serve with purpose.

Frei Sangil, CEO of LayerTech, stressed the need for civic tech and public data systems to drive local governance and digital inclusion. Her talk centered on building inclusive data ecosystems that support evidence-based policymaking.

Maggie Po, Founder of FullSuite Pod, envisioned Negros Occidental as a strategic player in the global AI infrastructure economy. Her firm’s expertise in back-end AI operations is a model for how the province can provide key tools and services to support global AI deployment.

\Fernieva Moritz, representing Toon Boom Philippines, called for greater investment in creative digital skills education to prepare youth for animation and content creation jobs—industries that are rapidly expanding worldwide.

Maricris Sarino-Joson, Director at Colliers Philippines, presented in-depth analysis on the real estate readiness and growth potential of secondary cities like Bacolod. She emphasized how site development, infrastructure, and investor confidence are aligning to make provincial locations highly attractive for IT-BPM and digital enterprises.

The forum concluded with strong alignment between public leaders, private sector partners, and grassroots innovators—affirming that Bacolod and Negros Occidental are ready to lead a digital resurgence rooted in countryside values and global connectivity.

In her keynote message as Convenor, Batapa-Sigue spoke with conviction about the Philippines being at a point in its development—a nation blessed with a demographic dividend. She described this as a unique advantage: a rising generation of young, tech-savvy, and adaptable Filipinos who, with the right training and strategic mobilization, can propel the country into the forefront of the global digital economy.

Batapa-Sigue emphasized that this opportunity must not be missed. To fully harness it, she called for the intentional design of local innovation ecosystems, especially in the countryside. Drawing from international frameworks, she referenced the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s core pillars of innovation as a guide: building human capacity, strengthening infrastructure and technology, aligning policy and regulation, cultivating strong digital market conditions, and nurturing a culture of innovation and funding.

“These pillars must guide our efforts,” she urged, “as we work to build innovation systems not just in capital cities, but in regions like Negros Occidental, where the next generation of digital leaders can emerge.”

Batapa-Sigue announced that this forum will continue in Dumaguete within the year as part of the Negros Island Region and is the first in a series of strategic forums and initiatives under the Philippine ICT Innovation Network, all aimed at accelerating inclusive digital transformation and job creation in rural Philippines.