“THIS conference compliments the digitalization vision of the Tagbilaran specifically in its desire to carve a niche in the country’s booming ICT industry. We are all aware of what ICT can provide in terms of job generation, stimulating the local economy, ending talent migration as well as increasing revenues of the city. We desire to make ICT a major economic stream in Bohol not only for Tagbilaran City but to include the rural areas because increased local employment would also mean that the people from these areas no longer need to relocate abroad to get employed. This is something that we seek to attain not only to spur our local economy but to also resolve deep-seated social problems such as the Filipino diaspora and brain drain,” emphasized Mayor Jane Yap during her presentation in the ICT conference in Boracay on August 26, 2022.
The National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) Visayas ICT Cluster Organization (VICTOR) invited Mayor Jane Yap as one of its panelists in the 10th Visayas ICT Conference (VICTOR) in Boracay. The NICP joined hands to forge a vision of creating a harmonious and collaborative development ecosystem among stakeholders in Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas. Despite the different challenges faced by each region, VICTOR movers bravely continued to learn and help each other. For VICTOR, the true spirit of ICT is not technology but innovation, collaboration, inclusion, and shared vision.
Mayor Jane Yap proudly showcased Tagbilaran City’s journey towards digital transformation. The local chief executive reinforced that the shift was a product of fruitful and effective partnerships which ultimately shaped the digital ecosystem in the city.
It was in February 2016, when former City Mayor Baba Yap inked a partnership with USAID e-peso. Enabling mechanisms were set-up beginning with the building up of qualified people followed by an executive order to institutionalize the digital shift. Placement of relevant infrastructure, both hardware and software followed. A reliable internet connection and server were also prioritized. An ordinance was also enacted to support the use of electronic payments in the city. Concerns on the safety and security of the data during transmittal was also addressed by training the frontliners intensively.
Mayor Jane Yap said that the digitalization equipped Tagbilaran to brave the challenges posed by COVID-19. In fact, even amidst the pandemic, the City Government collected more than Two Million (2M) pesos from online payments. (Jeanette Busano)
