Leyte summit to gather PHL ICT champions

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 12 (PNA) -- Champions of information and communications technology (ICT) from public and private sectors will converge in Palo, Leyte for the 8th National ICT Summit on Nov. 10 to 11, 2016, according to the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP).

About 600 delegates are expected to attend the summit including academe, industry officials, government and private sectors, among others.

The summit hopes to achieve and generate more investments and create more job opportunities in the countryside, sharing of industry trends and development, understanding the challenges and promote ICT tools and development to local government units and agencies.

This is the first time Leyte province will host the ICT Summit. The province is home to ICT Park in the region at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo town, which is 12 kilometers from Tacloban City, the regional hub.

The Leyte ICT Park in Palo town was launched in 2006 with the initiative of former Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla.

On Nov. 8, 2013, supertyphoon Yolanda wiped out the budding Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) industry in Leyte but last year, new business locators established their businesses in the Leyte ICT Park.

Recently, Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez met officials offering his city as home to BPO locators.

The topics in the summit includes the presentation of the IT-BPM Roadmap 2022, NICP targets 

through for six years, creating competitive cities and exploring affordable innovative options, impact sourcing and developing countryside outsourcing, resiliency and business continuity.

Internet for agriculture and business environment will also be discussed. (PNA)
JMC/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ/EGR