NATIONAL Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-10 regional director Mylah Faye Aurora B. Cariño said digital infrastructure will likely play a larger role in anticipation of a rise in e-commerce transactions under the so-called new normal in the region, a press statement said Wednesday.
“Northern Mindanao has to build its digital infra to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Cariño.
She said addressing digital infra gaps make viable at a time people are directed to avoid physical and social contact to prevent the spread of the virus.
The technology has kept people and communities connected despite the quarantine and containment measures, she said.
On Oct. 12, the 31st National Statistics Month (NSM) Celebration opened via video conferencing, with the theme, “Bridging Digital Gaps: Making Information Available to All.”
Citing the significance of digitalization in the collection, production, and dissemination of quality statistics to address lingering and persistent gaps in information and services.
Cariño also emphasized that many parts of the region remain isolated due to inadequate digital infrastructure resulting in poor access to correct information.
Cariño added that the Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2017-2022 Midterm Update and the COVID-19 Regional Recovery Program recognize this concern and push for the acceleration of interventions that will improve digital connectivity in the region.
In an earlier development, the Regional Development Council (RDC)-10 endorsed a total of P962.43 million in digital infrastructure projects for 2021.
Of this, P334.90 million is allocated to fund the National Broadband Program, while P530.55 million is for the Free Wi-Fi in Public Places Program.
The National Broadband Program aims to establish and expand broadband infrastructure to address connectivity issues particularly in backbone and backhaul segments, as well as to serve the augmentation of bandwidth requirements of the public.
The Free Public Internet Access program or the “Free Public Wi-Fi for All” provides fast, cheap, and secure internet access through the provision of Wi-Fi hotspots across the region.
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)-Mindanao Cluster 2 assistant regional director Sittie Rahma V. Alawi focused on the importance of digitalization to address social inequality.
“Making technology available to all enables leaders, and decision and policy makers to formulate better plans to serve our country’s social and economic needs,” Alawi said.
She also expressed her aspirations to bridge the digital gaps, especially during this pandemic.
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-10 regional director Ruben D. Abaro, Jr. said transitioning from a traditional to a digital plane to cope with the new normal is a challenging feat.
“To achieve the goals for faster collection and earlier release of data results, there is a need to shift to digitalization,” said Abaro. (Recthie Tolinero/NEDA10/PIA10)
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