THE NEW NORMAL IS DIGITAL

DICT spearheads National ICT Month celebration

ACCORDING to an article from Bain & Company, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced economies to shift from physical to digital much faster than anticipated. Due to the virus being rapidly spread through human contact, human interactions were greatly discouraged as necessary lockdowns took effect in many countries including the Philippines.

Under strict quarantine protocols, majority of the population was forced to rely on digital platforms to survive. From online banking to contactless payment for deliveries, digital transactions are part of the “new normal” amidst the ongoing crisis.

Thankfully, the world had already begun to transition to digital platforms long before the coronavirus began to spread. As devastating as the pandemic is, one cannot deny that it has rapidly brought the world much closer to the digital future. With more and more schools and businesses shifting to a digital platform, the role of Information and communications technology (ICT) has become more and more apparent in the lives of many Filipinos.

But while more and more people have integrated technology in their lives—thanks in large part to increasingly smarter smartphones—there are still a good number who are unable to fully harness its power.

In order to help people to better adapt to the “new normal”, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will be holding a set of online activities that will discuss the different facets of this technology throughout the month of June. With June being declared as National ICT Month by Republic Act 10844, the DICT will be facilitating a series of webinars tailored to various sectors, particularly the education sector.

With the theme of “Maximizing ICT for the New Normal,” these activities aim to foster discussions on digital government, cities and provinces, digital medicine and social assistance, digital education and workforce, cybersecurity, and emergency communications. In addition to that, they will also be offering training for these specialized areas as part of their objectives to promote the more widespread use of ICT.

Through these series of webinars, it is the hope of the DICT that the transition to digital will be much smoother as people become more and more digitally literate. They also encourage people to take an active part in the emerging ICT age as more and more key public services shift to digital.

“In these trying times, we turn to ICT to provide a semblance of continuity in our society and in our lives, as we gradually transition to the ‘new normal.’ In this year’s National ICT Month, we recognize the vital role of ICT in nation-building and ICT’S pivotal role in implementing the ‘new normal’ in our country, particularly in our government, business, commerce, education, and health sectors.” said DICT Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II.

“In line with the directives of President Rodrigo Duterte, through the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), we need to capitalize on available ICT resources and adapt to new ways of learning and working while keeping ourselves and our families safe,” Honasan further noted.

DICT’S webinars are announced through their official Facebook page at the Department of Information and Communications Technology - DICT. Registration and various details are all available on their page.