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ICT dev’t in NegOcc component cities pushed

By Erwin Nicavera

January 29, 2020, 7:40 pm

<p><strong>BNEFIT.</strong> The Bacolod-Negros Occidental Federation for Information and Communications Technology (BNEFIT) seeks to ensure inclusive growth in the ICT sector of the province. The BNEFIT aims to reach 40,000 jobs this year, on the way to its goal of achieving 60,000 jobs by 2022. <em>(File photo from BNEFIT Facebook page)</em></p>

BNEFIT. The Bacolod-Negros Occidental Federation for Information and Communications Technology (BNEFIT) seeks to ensure inclusive growth in the ICT sector of the province. The BNEFIT aims to reach 40,000 jobs this year, on the way to its goal of achieving 60,000 jobs by 2022. (File photo from BNEFIT Facebook page)

BACOLOD CITY -- The development of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in the component cities of Negros Occidental remains a priority for local industry stakeholders.

A program dubbed “TriCity ICT Caravan” will be launched by the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Federation for Information and Communications Technology (BNEFIT) this year to ensure inclusive growth in the ICT sector of the province.

BNEFIT president Hajee Birth Aquino said the organization is pushing for initiatives that will also focus its resources on helping component cities grow and become ready to replicate the successes of Bacolod.

These include the cities of San Carlos and Cadiz in the north and Kabankalan, Himamaylan, and Sipalay in the south.

As of Wednesday, the BNEFIT continued to iron out details of its activities for the year.

“We plan to bring industry players to these cities to inspire the stakeholders and to stimulate the community towards ICT developments,” Aquino said.

He added that these initiatives are expected to result in a more agile and dynamic organization ready to face the challenges of the future.

Currently, the information technology - business process management (IT-BPM) sector here employs at least 33,000 workers with about 30 locators, including small-scale players, mostly located in Bacolod.

The BNEFIT aims to reach 40,000 jobs this year, on the way to its goal of achieving 60,000 jobs by 2022.

The 60,000 full-time jobs target in Negros Occidental and its capital Bacolod City was set in 2016 in line with the Philippine ICT Roadmap.

Aquino said the BNEFIT itself has remained strong and true to its commitments as the organization, together with the industry and academe, continues to work hand-in-hand to maintain a healthy pool of talents, which is the local ICT sector’s greatest assets.

Having already proven its capabilities in the voice sector, BNEFIT is heavily investing its resources to cultivate jobs in other sectors, such as non-voice accounts, knowledge process outsourcing, health care industries, creatives, game development, and software development. (PNA)


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