Digital transformation—the key to robust growth
STUDIES show that internet speed in the country is quite slow, even more so during harsh weather. With this, it is expected that Filipinos will find it difficult to adapt to a post pandemic world where everything relies on having internet access.
As part of their response to these issues, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) created and spearheaded various projects to connect more and more Filipinos to the world wide web. Since June is recognized as National ICT month, the DICT is encouraging people to take part in learning about their plans in further implementing digital transformation in the country.
The CHIP framework, which stands for “Connect, Harness, Innovate, and Protect” is a framework adopted from the World Bank Digital Economy 2020 report. Under this framework, the DICT aims to boost digital connectivity and infrastructure programs, create capacity-building initiatives to upskill Filipinos, modernize systems, and mitigate risks in transitioning to a digital economy.
Free Wifi for All
Among these projects is the Free Wi-fi for All Program (FW4A). With various sectors of life moving into the digital hemisphere, it is important that even the most remote areas of the country should have access to the internet. Just last year, the DICT recorded that the program was able to put up an additional 4,305 live sites by December 28, 2020, more than the 3,251 live sites from the previous years. For this year, the DICT will be continuing the program in Catanduanes, Palawan, Marinduque and Sorsogon this June.
“This program is instrumental to fulfilling the marching orders given by the President to DICT, upon our assumption last July 2019, which includes connecting every Filipino to each other, to their government, and to the world. So, from day-one we immediately went into analyzing factors that may speed-up the implementation and applied the needed reforms,” commented DICT Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II.
Digital Training for the New Normal
In addition to connecting those who have been left behind, the DICT is also helping people keep themselves safe online along with providing the knowledge to sufficiently navigate the new normal. To do this, the DICT took initiative to inform business leaders, employees and other stakeholders of how to navigate the new normal through webinars and online press conferences.
They also provided training programs that cover a variety of topics, such as digital literacy, project management and job training. These webinars and other conferences will be held all throughout the month of June, and each event is catered to a specific sector in order to ensure no one will be left behind.
From offering fresh grads digital job training to management training sessions for small and medium business enterprises, the DICT hopes to create and foster digitally literate individuals who can push the economy into greater heights in a post pandemic world.
Keeping Information safe online
Despite the many conveniences the internet has to offer, one must still exercise caution to not get pulled into scams or have their information stolen. As such, the DICT also did their part in strengthening their Critical Information Infrastructures (CIIS) through a Cybersecurity Policy and Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training last March 23. The program targeted sectors such as energy, water, banking and finance, government, business process outsourcing (BPO), and telecommunications, as the DICT believes that informing people on how to navigate the business side of the internet is necessary in the new normal.
“Strengthening the country’s cybersecurity is vital to our digital transformation efforts. As we increase our use of information and communications technology, cyber threats and risks also increase,” said Honasan. “Now more than ever, we need to protect our critical information infrastructures from threats and risks as we endeavor to recover from the ongoing health crisis and as we transition to the new normal”