Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines – August 28–30, 2025 – The National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) will host the 13th Visayas ICT Conference (VICTOR 13) in Lapu-Lapu City this August, convening local government units, technology innovators, industry leaders, academic partners, and creative entrepreneurs under the theme “Advancing ICT Investments and Inclusive Innovation for a Future-Ready Philippines.” Over three days of plenaries, panels, and immersive workshops, delegates will explore how digital tools and collaborative frameworks can drive sustainable growth and citizen-centred services across the Visayas.

On August 28, Track 1: E-GOV Innovators and Awardees will spotlight exemplary LGUs, national agencies, and individuals who have harnessed digital platforms to streamline public service delivery, enhance transparency, and deepen citizen engagement.

Mid-morning sessions will transition to Track 2: PH Digital Ecosystem Program – RISE PH, where representatives from government, academia, and industry will present their strategies for ecosystem mapping, capacity building, and cross-sector collaboration to nurture regional innovation pipelines and scale grassroots startups.

In the afternoon, Track 3: Ensuring Digital Resilience and Sustainability in the Visayas will examine Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria as critical decision-making benchmarks for investors, covering green IT solutions, e-waste management, corporate responsibility frameworks, and the ethical integration of AI alongside cybersecurity, data privacy, and interoperability safeguards.

Day Two, on August 29, will pivot to ecosystem design and countryside empowerment. Early sessions in Track 4: Digital Innovation – Creating a Conducive Ecosystem for Innovation will investigate policy frameworks, innovation hubs, and digital sandboxes that foster experimentation with AI, IoT, blockchain, and low-code/no-code platforms. Speakers will highlight how public-private partnerships and targeted upskilling programs—particularly those promoting gender equity—are empowering startups and MSMEs.

Concurrently, Track 5: Empowering the Countryside will bring together national leaders, agri-tech pioneers, and rural development advocates to showcase how IoT-driven irrigation, drone mapping, and digital marketplaces are transforming agricultural productivity, connecting farmers to buyers, and bridging the urban-rural digital divide.

The conference’s final day, August 30, will celebrate the region’s creative prowess in the Special Track: Visayas Digital Creative Panel. Animators, game developers, filmmakers, illustrators, content creators, and digital marketers will share how local projects—many born in hackathons—have matured into global ventures. Their stories will underscore VICTOR 13’s commitment to countryside digital empowerment, demonstrating that innovation and entrepreneurship can—and should—flourish in every province, city, and barangay beyond Metro Manila. Anchored by the VICTOR principles—Values-based, Inclusive, Citizen-centric, Transparent, Open, and Responsible—the conference will reinforce a national digital vision that uplifts all Filipinos. For full program details – visit https://nicp.org.ph/events/