Davao’s ICT sector’s visit to India a success

THE eight-man delegation from the information and communications technology (ICT) industry of Davao discovered a number of opportunities during an investment mission in India early this month.
With the ICT industry cluster of the Davao region, represented by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11, as the lead agency, Transcription Association of Davao, Inc. (Tadi), Davao Software Association, Internet Café Association of Davao (Icad), and Association of Computer Business Machines (ACBM) were in India to promote the local ICT industry as well as to get ideas on how to further boost it.
DTI-Davao City field office director Teolulo T. Pasawa, who represented DTI in the mission, said that the visit was really “fruitful”.
“The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between ICT Davao, Inc. (the umbrella organization of all ICT groups in Davao) and the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) of India, was in itself already an achievement,” Pasawa said.
The MOU embodies the commitment of both groups to continuously exchange information, assist each other in trade fair participations and buyer-seller meets, receive incoming delegations to promote their business missions, and share advisory services on industry status and prospects.
“The fact that India is an ICT hub, we can definitely get a lot of ideas from them in developing our own ICT industry. Furthermore, India can also be our business partner,” he said.
During the trip, the delegation attended the three-day IndiaSoft 2010 International IT Exhibition and Conference where ICT experts and stakeholders from all over the world gathered. Lizabel “Wit” Holganza, chair of the Davao region ICT cluster team, presented before the participants the potentials of the Philippines, particularly Davao, in hosting business process outsourcing companies (BPOs).
She highlighted the strengths of Davao being an e-services destination considering its facilities and competent human resources.
“Ms Holganza marketed Davao as an ICT hub to the participants who represented the United States, United Kingdom, South America, other Asian countries, among other countries. It was a good venue for us to sell the Philippines, especially Davao,” Pasawa said.
The ICT mission to India is part of the development strategies crafted under the Davao Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project (Diccep), an initiative of the DTI in collaboration with other concerned agencies. It is supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica). [dti11/jmm]