■ ‘EMBRACING NEW REALITIES’ IN TRANSFORMATION SUMMIT
Aside from the threat of artificial intelligence, organizers hope to learn how to bring Cebu back to the top of the Tholons list of super cities for outsourcing
The Cebu IT-BPM. Organization (Cib.O) will hold a Transformation Summit on May 16 in Mandaue City.
Technology and industry experts will shed light on the industry’s biggest challenge so far—artificial intelligence (AI)—in this year’s Transformation Summit.
Cebu IT-BPM.Organization (Cib.O) president Greg Gabison told reporters yesterday that efforts to prepare businesses and its people in the midst of tech disruption have been ongoing, not only to remain relevant amid the AI age, but also reclaim Cebu’s spot in the list of super cities in the world.
“We are working on sustaining the growth of the industry regardless of the changes in the market,” said Gabison, in a press conference hosted by Sykes.
CIB.O yesterday announced it is mounting a one-day Transformation Summit on May 16 at Bai Hotel in Mandaue City.
The event, which is anchored on the theme, “Embracing New Realities,” will highlight the need to adopt AI, embrace digital and continued innovation, the shift to higher value services, and the impact of the K+12 program on the industry.
CIB.O (formerly known as Cedf-IT) is a full time industry association designed with the vision of making Cebu the preferred IT-BPM location for higher value IT and IT-enabled services.
CIB.O managing director Wilfedo Saa Jr. said AI remains one of the hottest trends in the industry that should not to be taken lightly by companies.
“It is here. It is real and more are expected to come as it becomes part of the way we do things. We need to do more complex activities...and as we compete with other cities and countries, we need to level up. We need people who can multi-task or do complex activities as AI handles simpler tasks,” said Saa.
Gabison sees AI’s adoption as an opportunity for the industry to offer high-value services in the global market and move employees up in the value chain rather than displace them.
During the first Senate hearing on the threat of AI, the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) mentioned that they are anticipating a decline in demand for low-skilled jobs in the IT-BPO industry of about 43,000 jobs by 2022.
On the bright side though, there is potential to open up 388,000 jobs for mid-skilled tasks, and 309,000 jobs for highskilled tasks, also by 2022.
Through the summit, Cib.O also aims to reclaim Cebu’s top spot in the Tholons ranking.
In 2017, Cebu ended up in the 12th spot (from seventh) as Tholon’s criteria changed, focusing more on innovation and embracing of digital transformation.
Saa said they invited Avinash Vashistha, chairman and CEO of Tholons Inc., to talk about the topic on “Super Cities of the World.” Saa said he will ask the Tholons official to revisit Cebu and check on the progress of the city and the industry through the years.
“We want Vashistha to see our progress and for him to know the real score,” he said.
More than 300 IT companies are now located in Cebu, employing around 150,000 people who collectively generate an annual income of more than P29.3 billion.
The IT-BPM industry is also supported by 450,000 direct employees who contribute P46.8 billion a year.
The summit aims to gather about 300 participants.