The Bacolod Information Technology Team is intensifying its efforts to strengthen the local manpower pool to prepare for the entry of more IT locators in the city and the province.

Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, chairperson of the Bacolod IT Team, said yesterday that during the e-Services 2007 in Manila last week, the Commission on Information and Communications cited the need for efforts to sustain the supply of human resources for the industry's growth.

She said they were advised by the CICT to ensure manpower. "We have manpower, but we have to ensure the standards," she said.

Batapa-Sigue said the CICT underscored the role of local government units in improving manpower, and the Bacolod IT Team is also continuously meeting with locators to help them improve local manpower resources.

She said the Bacolod IT Team will also visit colleges and universities to give lectures and trainings on improving their IT curricula.

At the e-Services 2007, Batapa-Sigue said Trade Undersecretary Carissa Cruz-Evangelista commended Bacolod for rapidly achieving results in IT hub development since last's years e-Services.

Cruz-Evangelista only learned then that the city already hosts several call centers and now has eight IT zones accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, two of them already proclaimed as IT parks and another two, as IT buildings.

The Bacolod delegation included city investment and promotions head Ardis Jaculina, tourism officer Ma. Elma Gerasmo and IT department head Perlette Caceres, provincial DTI head Lea Gonzales, investment board member Engiemar Tupas, ITSNET president Anthony Visitacion and vice president Mary Tolentino.*NLG

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