ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / May 4, 2014) – Zamboanga City has hosted the three-day 2014 ICT and Jobs Fair where executives of some of the best Information and Communications Technology companies gathered here and shared their success and inspirational stories.
The event, held at the Garden Orchid Hotel, was organized by the Zamboanga ICT Council whose current president, Louell Felix Saavedra, spoke on various topics along with prominent guests.
Among those who shared their insights about Information and Communications Technology were Ronald Cirujano, Country Manager of Elance; Christine Rom, President and CEO of game development company called PODD; Alvin Juban, Head of Operations of Secret 6; Markku Kero, CEO of Job and Esther Technologies in Finland; Raymund Vidar, Development Manager of Voyager Innovations; and Rogelio Umali, Head of Technology and Innovation Support Services of Smart Communications’ Monetization Group.
Each of them also spoke about their companies and the importance of Information and Communications Technology not only in trade and commerce, but in everyday’s life where more and more people largely depend on new technologies in the fast changing world of computers and electronics.
An estimated 2,000 people, mostly IT graduates and experts and students attended the ICT and Job Fair with the organizers saying the number of those interested to work in high-paying jobs in IT companies was staggering.
Saavedra urged students in Zamboanga and nearby provinces and cities to take IT courses because of its promising demand not only in the country, but abroad. “In Zamboanga City alone, there is a big potential for ICT and BPOs or Business Process Outsourcing and IT companies are coming flocking over here and that’s why we have this ICT and Job Fair here,” he told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
He said the ICT Confederation of the Philippines is also advocating “on a national scale” different programs that helps provide trainings, workshops and organizes strategic planning sessions and activities and affairs, road shows in an effort to bring awareness to the public about the industry.
“We are trying to encourage the government and private industries and schools and universities and that’s why we are promoting ICT in Zamboanga. All of us in the Zamboanga ICT Council are also members of the Zamboanga City Chamber of Commerce and Industry – we are private businessmen and all of us have our own businesses as part of the Chamber and we are doing all of these events to get the attention of everybody, especially the local government, the telephone companies to be our partners in this endeavor,” Saavedra said.
He said they are now trying to lure companies to put up call centers and IT hub in Zamboanga, particularly at the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone.
“Zamboanga has huge potential in ICT and we are optimistic that we may be able attract local and foreigner investors and make this city their BPO and become an IT hub in the southern Philippines, just like what they have in Cebu,” he said.
The Zamboanga ICT Council was established in 2012 by the Regional Information Technology and E-Commerce Committee in Western Mindanao and the Zamboanga City Chamber of Commerce and Industry then under its president Pedro Rufo Soliven as a non-profit professional organization.
Saavedra said the ICT Council was created for the purpose of establishing an entity that will be looking at areas of opportunities in ICT and BPO to complement the needs of the locals for better employment and IT jobs. He said his group envisions being the recognized champion of ICT and acting as a catalyst and enabler of innovation and economic development in Western Mindanao.
The Zamboanga ICT Council is also composed of Michael Kelly Lim, Vice President; Maureene Bello, Corporate Secretary; Antonio Itturalde, Treasurer; and Board Members Oliver Ong, Cheryl Ortega, Danny Lim, Edwin To, who is now the current President of Zamboanga City Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Efren Wee, Myrna Natividad and Soliven himself. (Joshua Alvia and Joanna Wee)
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