by admin | Jul 7, 2018 | Headlines, Tech Talk
The vision of Digital Bohol to have internet connectivity across the province is now closer to reality.
This week, Gov. Edgar Chatto received PLDT Visayas Head Rito Ray Salas and PLDT Area Head Isabelo Rosales at the People’s Mansoion. They updated the governor about ongoing PLDT Fiber To The Home, the most optimum connectivity solution.
Rosales said PLDT targets a minimum of 1 kilometer of fiber optic connection completed every day. This will allow fiber connectivity for the towns of Clarin, Tubigon, Calape, Loon, Maribojoc, Antequera, Balilihan, Sikatuna, Cortes, Jagna, Garcia Hernandez, Valencia, Dimiao, Lila, Loboc, Loay, and Albur at the end of this year.
PLDT also targets connectivity for the remaining towns of Bohol by 2019. Fiber To The Home is the optimum connectivity solution, stated Rosales.
Fiber to the home (FTTH), also called “fiber to the premises” (FTTP), is the installation and use of optical fiber from a central point directly to individual buildings such as residences, apartment buildings and businesses to provide unprecedented high-speed Internet access.
The governor welcomed this development as Bohol positions itself in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry.
He recalled launching Digital Bohol when PLDT also launched its submarine and inland fiber optic network spanning 328 kilometers – from Cebu through Bohol to Misamis Oriental with PLDT president and CEO Napoleon Nazareno.
Digital Bohol is aimed at making every Boholano part of digital technology revolution, and to make technology available.
Next to tourism and agriculture, programs have been geared towards creating a niche for the ICT industry.
A private sector-led initiative, Digital Bohol key component is the establishment of Technology for Education and Development (Tech4ED) centers in the province where residents can learn about internet, technology, among others.
Chatto believes if every citizen is educated on technology, even the rural communities can generate jobs, a faster way to inclusive growth. He emphasized the use of technology for marketing products, linking into the job market, among others.
Another initiative to strengthening the third pillar of economic growth is following tracks of tourism and agriculture senior high school specialization with BISU Balilihan as hub. It will take after models of Turo-Turismo of Lourdes National High School in Panglao and Eskwela Agrikultura in San Pascual National Agricultural High School.
The development also comes vis-à-vis current private sector investments in infrastructure for ICT. (Leah/EDCOM)
shows the PDLT Fiber Optic Launching last July 22, 2014 during the Bohol Day Commemorative Program
by admin | Jul 4, 2018 | Headlines
DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and Assistant Secretary Ann Robeniol during
the 5th RCEP Intercessional Meeting in Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo – Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez urged his fellow ministers to be more realistic to conclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEP.
Sec. Lopez represented the Philippines (PH) during the 5th RCEP Intercessional Meeting in Tokyo on June 30 to July 2, 2018, where he joined Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock-Hoi, and trade ministers from the 16 RCEP Participating Countries (RPC), namely the ASEAN 10 and ASEAN free trade partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. The group targets to finish negotiations this year to finalize the agreement by next year.
“It is about time that we shift gears and lean towards being more realistic than idealistic. While we attend to our own interests, we should also remember that a mutually-beneficial agreement requires trade-offs,” said Sec. Lopez.
“We should also keep in mind that this mega-regional trade pact should be inclusive and progressive and should cater not only to today’s generation but also of the future,” he added.
The free trade agreement that began negotiations in 2013 covers trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement and other issues. On trade in goods, some countries’ submissions were still below the targeted 92% for tariff elimination. RPCs committed to submit improved offers by the middle of July.
Meanwhile, Sec. Lopez commended the progress on e-commerce for closing several articles in the RCEP Key Elements Paper. He said that e-commerce significantly lowers the barriers to entry and operating costs for businesses, particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which comprise 99.6% of all registered businesses in PH.
The RPCs will meet again in Singapore this August to assess the outcome of the 23rd round of negotiations in Bangkok, Thailand.
Once concluded, RCEP will be one of the biggest free trade agreements with the 16 participating countries accounting for almost half of the world population, 31.6% of global output, 28.5% of global trade, and a fifth of the global foreign direct investment inflows as of 2016
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Front row, 7th from L) with Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (Front row, 4th from L) and trade ministers from the 16 RCEP Participating Countries (RPC) during the 5th RCEP Intercessional Meeting in Tokyo, Japan.
by admin | Jul 1, 2018 | Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
RISK REDUCTION and disaster management have become ingrained in the senses of Filipinos – Boholanos included – especially after the Great Bohol Earthquake on Oct. 15, 2013.
This prompted village officials to scout for a vacant area near their respective barangay halls for multipurpose buildings. Rep. Erico Aristotle “Aris” Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) has been distributing P750,000 as counterpart funds.
Aumentado assures his constituency that all 349 barangays were allocated shares from funds from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
He said he is distributing the assistance, not counting if he won of lost in that barangay during the last congressional election. Aftr all, he added, the residents who did not vote form him are still his constituents.
The multipurpose building doubles as evacuation center so that in times of emergency like flooding or typhoons, the public elementary schools can immediately resume classes.
Sessions are usually delayed when the schools are turned into evacuation centers because the families staying there have to gather their things first.
Aumentado adopted the “win or lose” stance in distributing the assistance because, he says, his is a governance of unity, not vindictiveness, and unity, not divisiveness, working towards a common goal.
He opts for equal sharing – not selective, and with impact. This means, he explained, the fund is substantial and not palliative like others who select their recipients of only P5 or P10 million.
by admin | Jun 30, 2018 | Local News / Bohol Balita, Tech Talk
TAGBILARAN CITY – More than 100 Boholano MSMEs have participated in a digital marketing campaign last June 29, 2018 at Bohol Tropics Resort.
Boost Your Business is a project by Bayan Academy and DTI in partnership with Facebook Philippines that aims to promote the use of social media platforms as a tool for creating an advantage in business.
The event focused on marketing theories that are applicable on creating good quality content, creative visuals, and effective messages on social media. Mr Carlo Sagun , the event trainor, also introduced the different marketing strategies for Facebook and Instagram-two of the leading platforms in the world. A hands-on application of the theories was conducted afterwards using the apps of Facebook Philippines.
Also gracing the one day workshop is the Congressman of the First District of Bohol Hon. Rene Lopez Relampagos as well as DTI Bohol’s very own Jerome John J. Gabin, STIDS who have encouraged the participants to ride on the opportunity of doing business online.
According to Mr Sagun, among the chosen venues,Bohol Province has the largest number of participants so far.
by admin | Jun 30, 2018 | Headlines
TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL – More than twenty Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) viewed an online learning event last June 27, 2018 in an initiative to provide wider access to government information.
The event, entitled Empowering Philippines SMEs with Digital Tools and Mentorship Opportunities, was a whole day event held at the Philippine Trade and Training Center (PTTC) in Manila with the aim of enhancing the capabilities of MSMEs using digital systems and facilities that can be utilized according to their needs. Among the presenters of the event includes the United States Ambassador to the Philippines Amb. Sung Kim, President of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Ms. Alegria S. Limjoco, and Secretary Ramon M. Lopez of DTI.
In an initiative of one of the organizers, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provided a live streaming platform for the MSMEs in all of its offices to join the said event without travelling physically to the venue. Two venues were designated by Bohol Province which includes the Provincial Office and Negosyo Center BOSS in order to deliver a wider access of viewership. Aside from the speeches from the keynote speakers, MSMEs were able to view and absorb the information discussed by mentors from panel discussions to workshops as well as clinic sessions.
Among the topics discussed were the digitalization and improving of Filipino MSMEs’ reach to global market, effective marketing content making and improving enterprises’ access to finance. This enabled the Boholano businessmen to learn the current challenges and opportunities the industry is facing in the digital age at the same time as the participants in the Capital. (Photos by B. Panong and C. Apale) -KACalumba
