ICT CONFERENCE. Former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) undersecretary Monchit Ibrahim underscores the importance of keeping up with the latest breakthroughs in technology in his speech at the ICT Conference at the Carmona Community Center on Friday (June 28, 2019). The event aimed to revisit the ways in which people use 21st-century trends. (PNA photo by Gladys S. Pino)
CARMONA, Cavite -- Amid a fast-changing digital landscape across the world, a senior consultant of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) urged the public to take advantage of technological breakthroughs in various ways.
Former DICT undersecretary Monchit Ibrahim made this call to some 400 participants from local government units, the academe, key stakeholders, partners and other relevant national government agencies during the ICT Conference held at the Carmona Community Center here Friday.
"There is no question that digital technology has affected, impacted our education system, work, and the way we live, the way we do business, the way we relate to one another, almost every aspect of our lives," Ibrahim said.
He cited as an example how a humanoid robot named Sophia delivered a Keynote at Agenda 18 held in Miami, Florida in the United States in March 2018.
This, he said, opens the possibility of doing away with the practice of inviting a resource person like him, 50 years from now.
Spearheaded by the DICT Regional Office Luzon Cluster 2, the forum is in support of the DICT initiative in the observance of the 2019 Information and Communications Technology Month this June, with the theme "See ICT Differently: Infostructure, Big Data, and Application".
The celebration sought to revisit the ways in which people use 21st-century trends, such as big data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing. It also aims to drive for research and development initiatives to further frame the understanding and use of ICT in the country.
In line with the theme, Ibrahim also stressed the need to keep an open mind to accept possibilities and change the way people look at things.
"Change the way we look at our education system. It’s (been) the same way in the past 50 years," he said.
He cited the "Germany System" of apprenticeship, which is more competency-based, "where education is not mostly done in school but in the workplace."
"The power is in our hands to prepare for what will happen 50 years from now. Go out and learn digital technology," Ibrahim said.
The forum touched on digital parenting (challenges and approaches); data privacy (why it matters and how to protect it); digital jobs (the future of people and business); and understanding public key infrastructure and national government portal.
The one-day conference included breakout sessions for Electronic Business Permit and Licensing System, Free Wifi Access in Public Places Project, Tech4ED Project, and Start-up Awareness Program. (PNA)
