Philippine industry leaders called on the private sector to take the lead in the country’s digital transformation to ensure safe and sustainable economic recovery.
During a virtual roundtable discussion organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute on “The Private Sector as a reliable partner to the government in economic recovery”, Ayala Corporation Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said, “The strength of the private sector, its resources ingenuity energy, and performance management discipline are absolutely crucial to augment the government's massive machinery and even co-developed new ways to deliver critical aid and other forms of support to our stakeholders.”
Zobel de Ayala said, “We may think of common measurable commitments around manufacturing competitiveness for the Philippines support for MSME's digital enablement, data security, entrepreneurship, hunger, poverty alleviation, education, job creation, and agricultural and financial inclusion.”
“I think this pandemic has shown us more than ever that if we will act in unison, work together, join forces and focus on some key areas where we can all make a difference there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the private sector can be a massive generator of goodwill in our country in a solution to many of our problems.”
In a separate statement, Globe Telecom in partnership with DLSU’s Animo Labs launched the country’s biggest 5G Hackathon competition for students and professionals. The competition, running from March through July of this year, aims to produce solutions on how 5G technologies will improve the various sectors of society, industries, and develop “Smart Cities”.
Participants will benefit from enablement workshops that will promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI) automation and internet of things (IoT) to create real world applications of 5G technology for: Education, Health Care, Livelihood, Retail, Manufacturing, Logistics, E-Commerce, Disaster risk management, Sustainability, Asset and Resource Management, and Transportation.
Globe’s Head of Consumer Mobile Business, KD Dizon said, “We commit to enabling the youth to carve out their own digital futures and transform various industries in the Philippines into digital innovation hubs. Together, we will explore new technologies like 5G with resources that can further their skills and enrich their case studies.”
Stratbase ADR Institute Chairman Amb. Albert del Rosario in his welcoming remarks said, “Public and private institutions can no longer cling to their old ways and must now step-up their digital transformation to deliver their services and products efficiently and extensively. This reality is palpably evident in the surging volume of online transactions and demand for broadband services.”
Amb. del Rosario said, “Business-to-Consumer, and Business-to-Business, relationships can be facilitated with cloud-based technologies to ensure that supply chains and distribution networks are not disrupted. Financial service institutions have likewise responded to this digital shift enabling any person with a smart device and access to mobile communications and the internet to remotely fulfill their financial transactions thru various e-payment, e-banking and e-commerce platforms.”
“Developing secure Business-to-Government and Citizen-to Government platforms integrated with real-time information management systems will eliminate the need for physical presence and the slow and archaic paper-based, manual signature heavy process, in getting the necessary permits, payment of fees and taxes, and other documents,” del Rosario said.
Stratbase ADRi President Prof. Dindo Manhit for his part said that the shared prosperity will be crucial in uplifting the lives of Filipinos, accelerating the country’s economic momentum and in helping rebuild the nation toward sustainable and resilient development.
“The private sector can help address inequality, ensure livelihood by creating jobs. We have seen the importance of digital technology, so digital acceleration is key, and we need to reduce the digital divide,” Manhit said.