A partnership agreement between the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for the implementation of the DigitalJobsPH program in Negros Occidental was signed at the at Negros Residences in Bacolod City on Thursday, July 7, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.
Formerly called Rural Impact Sourcing (RIS) Program, the DigitalJobsPH aims to capacitate people in the countryside to do online freelancing as a means of livelihood using their own Internet platform or RIS Hubs.
It is a pioneering program in the region that aims to provide trainings to cooperatives in Western Visayas starting with the Kabankalan-Ilog Teachers and Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Lacson said.
Lacson said that the initiative is a well-founded measure that enables the members of the cooperatives to strengthen their capacities in the face of tight competition brought about by globalization.
“It is a tool for the attainment of inclusive and sustained economic growth, financial inclusion and reduction of poverty, its capacities must be maximized in order to have a true positive impact on our people,” he added.
Present in the MOA signing were CDA Assistant Secretary Vidal Villanueva III, Assistant Secretary Virgilio Lazaga, Undersecretary Joseph Encabo, CDA Director Nora Patron, DICT Regional Director Jane Javellana, Negros Occ. Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, DICT Negros Occ. Head Romeo Tome, Negros Occ. CDA Field Office Supervisor Roumelia Alpasan Base, and KITEMPCO chairman Tito Pillar.*