The summit dubbed “Smart Sourcing in the global marketplace” will showcase Davao City as a smart sourcing destination in Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Lawyer Samuel Matunog, chairperson of the Innovation Summit 22 underscored during the recent 7th General Membership Meeting of Davao City Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) held at Acacia Hotel in the city the contribution of the ICT industry in the city’s economy.
He said the ICT industry here contributes about P8-10 billion in annual revenue to the local economy.
Matunog bared that the ICT industry here has employed some 50,000-55,000 individuals including those free-lance online workers.
“During the whole period in which the industry has continued to grow notwithstanding, the Covid-19 pandemic, Davao City has become a global hub for smart sourcing of world class talent in the ICT industry,” Matunog said.
He said the reason why they are holding this event and using the iconic image of the soon to be completed Samal connector bridge, is that ICT has been viewed as a way of giving bridges from here in the Philippines to the outside World.
“We believe that we have achieved that, and therefore if this bridge will be completed, likewise it will also symbolize our commitment and our optimism of the prospects of the road of this industry,” he said.
Apart from the bridge, the ICT sector also recognizes the other infrastructure projects in the city such as coastal road, bypass roads, and the expansion of Davao airport, including railways and several other major infrastructure developments here.
“To us, in the ICT industry these are very critical civil infrastructure because it enables our locators, it enables our workers to be able to move around and help each other participate in taking advantage of the opportunities in this industry,” he said.
He said these bring a symbol and indication of how confident they are that the ICT industry will continue to grow.
The summit, according to him, will also showcase the next generation of disruptive technologies of their partners in the International community.
“We hope to see our friends from Japan, Korea, Israel, and China come together and show to us what they are doing in this technology era and in ICT especially in areas where their products and services are actually consumed by our people here in Southern Mindanao,” he added.
There will also be a panel discussion which will feature the outsourcing industry of the city which will be composed of multinational companies and growing numbers of freelance online workers.
The summit will also highlight those individuals and companies who are now engaging in Q-Commerce or Quick commerce and digital payments.
The representatives and its partners from the ICT sector in Brunei, Malaysia , Indonesia, and Philippines are also expected to attend the summit.
“We have been doing this since 2016 and we hope we will be able to come together face to face and share our experiences on how we are able to promote ICT in the countryside,” he said.