Local Information and Communications and Technology education stakeholders will hold a province-wide conference and preparatory workshop on October 29 and 30 in Bacolod City to develop a provincial ICT roadmap.

Councilor Batapa-Sigue, chairperson of Bacolod IT Focus Team and conference convenor, said the conference seeks to make Bacolod City and Negros Occidental viable IT locations by pursuing ICT readiness and competitiveness.

Other convenors aside from Batapa-Sigue are Lea Gonzales, director of Department of Trade and Industry-Negros Occidental; Yolanda Porschwitz, director of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; Sheila Oberio, director of Department Science and Technology-Negros Occidental; Mary Tolentino, chairperson of the IT Schools Network-Negros Occidental; and Bonifacio Belen, executive director of the Cebu Educational Development for IT.

During the two-day conference, participants will develop a comprehensive plan to yield a more accurate picture of the provincial workforce and a rationalized program of infrastructure and human resource build-up.

Moreover, they will also build on respective strengths as the conference will encourage synergy and avoid duplication of efforts and minimize competition among local government units.

Batapa-Sigue said that after the conference, the convenors envision stronger networks with other cities like Cebu and Iloilo and linkages with concerned government agencies, industry associations and the academe.

The conference will also tap local ICT advocates in designing mechanisms to lobby for review and update of the country's education system for the integration of ICT.

+++ Meanwhile, Commissioner Monchito Ibrahim of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology welcomed the conduct of a province-wide ICT conference, Batapa-Sigue said.

She said Ibrahim noted that the activity is just in time for the upcoming major ICT-related gatherings in the country such as the meeting of ICT Councils of the Philippines and the e-Services Philippines Conference in 2008.*

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