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Call for 100K digital jobs in NIR launched

Lawyer Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, former Undersecretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), is strengthening the Negros Island Region’s position as a major hub for Information Technology Business Process Management (IT-BPM) in the countryside, with the aim of generating 100,000 digital jobs.

In a series of business fora held on June 30 and July 1, in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, local government leaders, academic institutions, and private sector partners convened for a strategic session.

The event focused on aligning educational, workforce, and investment priorities to support the region’s digital transformation.

Batapa-Sigue said these discussions laid the groundwork for long-term initiatives aimed at equipping local talent with industry-relevant skills and solidifying Negros Occidental’s position as a competitive hub for technology-enabled services.

The provincial event was a collaborative effort between the Philippine ICT Innovation Network (PIIN), led by Batapa-Sigue, and the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, through the Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC) under Governor Eugenio Jose V. Lacson.

In another high-level business and innovation forum at Mansion De Bacolod on July 1, a lineup of local and foreign industry speakers presented strategies to boost investments, expand digital ecosystems, and scale job creation in key ICT-related sectors.

In her presentation, Maricris Sarino-Joson, Director and Head of Commercial Leasing at Colliers Philippines, provided a real estate investment outlook, highlighting the potential for IT-BPM development outside Metro Manila.

Wilbur L. Gadicho, Senior Director of iQor Philippines and Hong Kong, discussed the values and imperatives crucial for sustainable industry growth in rural IT-BPM locations. Gadicho said a big percentage of iQor’s workforce are in the countryside.

Fernieva Moritz, an education specialist from Toon Boom Animation Inc., underscored the need for integrating industry-calibrated animation skills into school curricula to enhance employability in creative tech sectors.

James Thompson, CEO of WrkPod, meanwhile shared how virtual work models can drive countryside-based global branding and expand employment for remote professionals. Workpod, a Dumaguete-based locator, recently expanded in Bacolod, providing physical spaces for virtual workers in various roles.

Eli Harrell, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Emerge PH, discussed equipping local ICT leaders with the foresight and skills needed to navigate rapidly evolving digital environments.

Frei Sangil, President and CEO of LayerTech Software Labs, on the other hand tackled the role of public data analytics in supporting evidence-based policy and strategy formation at the local level.

Batapa-Sigue, who laid out the vision for 100,000 digital jobs, emphasized the importance of countryside innovation, inclusive digital workforce development, and the role of local ecosystems in the broader digital economy.

Drawing on her extensive experience as a national ICT policymaker and advocate for regional innovation, she outlined actionable pathways to create employment and foster investment across the NIR.*

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