In response to the resounding invitation from the Local Government Academy (LGA), the Department of the Interior and Local Government Region 9 sent delegates to a 2-day summit on Digital Strategies for Development on October 2-3, 2014 at Asian Institute Management, Makati City. The summit aimed to augment the efforts of the Department towards Strengthened Internal Organizational Capacity in integrating digital information for development in the streams of Youth, Education and Employment; Governance; Disaster Management and Climate Change; Health and Social Innovation and Enterprise.
Delegates are the Local Chief Executives, Private Sector, Non- Government Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Sectors, IT Development-focused practitioners, Technology-savvy and entrepreneurial youth and LGRRC Linkage Coordinator across the country.
In region 9, Information Technology Officer Ard Catalino and Local Government Regional Resource Linkage Member Lemuel C. Mejares represented the summit.
DILG 9 Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil once said that technology has been a part in our lives and it has been vastly applied in all fields of endeavor including the government’s program in delivering basic services.
“The program on Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Climate Change Adaptation has adapted the Geographical Information System in generating maps and information data to areas vulnerable to disasters. The mainstreaming of Business Permit and Licensing System and Peace and Development in Local Governance in the LGUs, as well as the disclosing of programs, projects in the websites per LGU and government offices are some of the advent of technology that helps also in the promotion of accountability and transparency, “ he said.
Meanwhile, Juan Miguel Luz, Dean of the Asian Institute of Management said, during the opening remarks, that the power of social media and mobile platforms has helped pioneer and enhanced existing processes across a wide range of sectors, making technology a truly social enabler.
“While it seems that there cannot be a better time for technological innovation particularly on the digital front, greater rationalization is needed to improve the relevance and measure the real benefits and impact that digital technology can bring to a diverse range of stakeholders,” he said.
He added that the challenge then is how to optimize the potential benefits that digital technology can provide in enabling a better society and an empowered community? How can various stakeholders, including Government, Private Sector and Civil Society gain more momentum for their core mandates by leveraging the use of digital technology enabled solutions? Can Digital Technology create a platform for better collaboration and cooperation among various stakeholders?
To provide insights to the delegates, a panel discussions on Technology 4 Good, e-governance, Youth, Education and Employment, Special Technology Solution Showcase were carried out by distinguish resource speakers from Techsoup, Microsoft, Asia Foundation, ASIAN NGO, Bridging Cultures, GO Asia, SMART, PLDT among others who disclosed their brilliant ideas in addressing development in various streams.
Local Government Academy Executive Director Marivel Sacendoncillo said that in order to deliver the desired results the success indicators must be present- leadership, community engagement, maximization of ICT use, and collaboration and cooperation.
“Let’s continue to use ICT to connect one another and as socio –economic equalizer in creating a more resilient, better and happier world, “she said in closing.
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