The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has underscored the key role of digitalization in enhancing efficiency, improving public service delivery, and minimizing opportunities for corruption.
NEDA secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan told participants of the International ICT Awards-Philippines (IICTAP) Celebratory Gala Dinner on Friday, June 9, that thoughtfully crafted policies are crucial for promoting regulatory efficiency and responsiveness in rapidly evolving digital markets without stifling innovation and experimentation.
Balisacan also emphasized the importance of emerging technologies and digitalization as a cross-cutting strategy in realizing the socio-economic transformation agenda of the governemnt as contained in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.
“In this digital era, the significance of ICT cannot be overstated. It serves as the foundation of our interconnected world, permeating every aspect of our lives and driving transformative changes in various industries,” said Balisacan.
Given the ongoing proliferation of rapidly developing technologies such as artificial intelligence, Balisacan also stressed the urgent need to understand and harness the potential of these technologies, while regulating them in ways that would enable and promote their healthy use and development.
In Chapter 6 of the PDP 2023-2028, strategies are outlined for accelerating the digitalization and innovation of startups and MSMEs to revitalize industries, focusing on increasing e-commerce adoption.
“This will empower MSMEs of any size to remain competitive by reducing costs, ultimately benefiting Filipino consumers,” Balisacan said.
The IICTAP Gala Dinner was organized by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to celebrate excellence in ICT of the 50 IICTAP awardees over the past 16 years.
