Iligan City, Philippines — August 12, 2025. Iligan City signaled its entry into the digital economy spotlight with the successful launch of the DigiWork Expo 2025 – Digital Careers and Workforce Competitiveness Exposition held at the Saint Michael’s College Auditorium on August 12, 2025.

“We are living in a time when technology is not just shaping the future—it is shaping the present,” Mayor Siao declared, framing the Expo as both an investment in Iligan’s people and a long-term bet on the city’s prosperity“, a bold message of Mayor Frederick Siao, delivered by his Chief of Staff Vernie Padilla, affirming the city’s bold step into digital leadership. He urged citizens to seize the opportunities of digital transformation with the rallying cry: “Padayon sa pag-asenso, Iligan!”

The keynote address was delivered by Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, former DICT Undersecretary and national ICT industry advocate. Challenging participants to reflect on the future of work, she emphasized adaptability: “How ready are you for the future of work? In this digital age, our success depends on our capacity to learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Her message echoed findings from the WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025, which highlights reskilling and adaptability as core drivers of global competitiveness.

DigiWork, which is a brainchild of Batapa-Sigue under the Philippine ICT Innovation Network gathered more than 500 students from schools in Iligan, namely, Acelo Badelles Memorial High School, Bethany Baptist Academy, Iligan City National High School, Iligan Computer Institute, Iligan Medical Center College, Lyceum of Iligan Foundation, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, Saint Michael’s College and Saint Peter’s College. It featured more than 25 speakers from different sectors.

Iligan City organized the event through the Center for Digital Iligan, Innovation and Sustainability (CDIIS). Jhonny Paul H. Lagura, Head of CDIIS and Executive Director of the Iligan ICT Council extended the city’s heartfelt gratitude to Batapa-Sigue, Convenor of the Philippine ICT Innovation Network and known as the country’s Digital Countryside Advocate, for her invaluable contribution to the success of the DigiWork Expo 2025. In a letter, Lagura said the city government lauded Batapa-Sigue for inspiring participants with her insights on building an inclusive and future-ready digital economy for Mindanao, and for championing the establishment of Iligan’s first ICT Park—envisioned as a catalyst for tech investment, job creation, and countryside innovation.

As feedback from the DigiWork Expo discussions, participants cited four strategic pillars to guide Iligan’s digital growth. These include Building the Foundation for Digital Work through investments in high-speed fiber internet, co-working spaces, and public Wi-Fi in key districts; Future-Proofing Filipino Talent by aligning education with industry needs in AI, coding, and digital marketing through bootcamps and mentorships; Supporting Homegrown Innovation by creating maker spaces and innovation labs backed by grants while promoting local tech success stories; and Unlocking Capital for Growth by digitizing business registrations, providing incentives for startups and BPOs, and hosting innovation expos to attract investors. These insights serve as valuable inputs in shaping the city’s digital competitiveness roadmap.

SNAPSHOTS FROM THE DIGIWORK EXPO 2025 IN ILIGAN CITY:

WHY ILIGAN IS AN EXEMPLAR IN DIGITAL INNOVATION?

Digital Creative Innovation Hub

Iligan is swiftly cultivating a digitally enabled ecosystem. The launch of a Digital Creative Innovation Hub, co-funded by a ₱3 million DTI Shared Service Facility grant, aims to empower freelancers, digital entrepreneurs, and creative professionals with access to high-end tools—cameras, 3D printers, mixed reality headsets, and editing suites—in a collaborative co-working environment. The hub has amplified its community impact by hosting workshops and business networking sessions. One example is GIG4WARD, a mixer that teaches young people the realities of digital careers—demystifying gig work, digital self-branding, AI, and content monetization, preparing Iligan’s youth for the wide array of careers now possible amid the digital revolution (Open Gov Asia, Philippine Information Agency).

Smart City Command Center and Resilience Innovation Hub

The city has also invested ₱2.5 million in real-time data systems that feed dashboards across health, traffic, and disaster response sectors—key components of its smart city advancement. Further bolstering Iligan’s digital capability is a Smart City Command Center and Resilience Innovation Hub equipped with 228 AI-powered CCTV cameras for heightened situational awareness and emergency response. The facility is benchmarked against Metro Manila’s MMDA command center and integrated with TIMApp, a barangay-level planning and reporting tool under DOST’s Project Lungsod (Open Gov Asia).

City-Wide Digital Transformation

Governance has gone digital, too—efforts like City-Wide Digital Transformation have improved service delivery, lowered operational costs, ensured safe data handling, and enhanced decision-making across departments (iligan.gov.ph).

These upgrades are anchored in the Startup Council, Creative Industry Development Council, and Smart Cities Council—ensuring sustainability beyond electoral cycles.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ILIGAN CITY?

Iligan City Eyes Digital Transformation with Proposed IT Special Economic Zone

ILIGAN CITY – Known for its waterfalls and industrial backbone, Iligan City is now poised to embrace a new identity: a digital hub for Mindanao. With proposals to establish a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) dedicated to Information Technology, the city is setting its sights on becoming a center for jobs, investment, and innovation in the south.

The planned SEZ is expected to attract business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, software developers, AI and digital service providers, and even startups eager to expand outside Metro Manila and Cebu.

“This is not just about creating jobs — it’s about empowering Iliganons to participate in the global digital economy without leaving their home city,” said Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, former Undersecretary for ICT Industry Development and a long-time advocate of countryside digital transformation.

Iligan, home to premier institutions like MSU-IIT, has long produced a steady stream of science, technology, and engineering graduates. An IT SEZ would give these graduates opportunities to build careers locally, reducing the need for migration to Manila or abroad.

Experts point out that such an initiative could also transform Iligan’s economic landscape. The city, historically industrial, could rebrand itself as Northern Mindanao’s Digital Jobs Hub, leveraging its strong educational institutions and power resources to support green and sustainable technology infrastructure.

Global studies back the potential impact. A recent report noted that AI could add US$1 trillion to Southeast Asia’s GDP by 2030, with the Philippines well-positioned to benefit — provided that local cities build AI-ready workforces and innovation ecosystems.

Batapa-Sigue stressed that beyond attracting multinational locators, the SEZ should also support local startups and MSMEs, creating an inclusive digital economy. “Iligan has always been resilient. With the right infrastructure and governance, it can host homegrown enterprises that will compete globally,” she added.

For residents, the move could mean more opportunities in AI, cybersecurity, cloud services, fintech, and creative industries — all from the comfort of Iligan. For the city, it represents a chance to shift from an industrial past to a smart, sustainable, and innovation-driven future.

If realized, the Iligan IT SEZ could place the city on the map of global innovation corridors, alongside the Philippines’ traditional ICT hubs.

“This is a chance for Iligan to prove that Mindanao is not just about agriculture and industry — it is also about digital inclusion, peace, and prosperity through innovation,” Batapa-Sigue concluded.