The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) made history by hosting the Philippines Girls in ICT Day 2023 (GICT 2023) and the inaugural Asean Girls in ICT (GICT) Policy Summit last June 8 to 9.
The back-to-back events took place at the Chardonnay by Astoria in Pasig City and were part of the Digital Innovation and Inclusion Week during the National ICT Month (NICTM) 2023.
Bringing together young women and girls aged 12 to 24, these events served as a platform for enhancing digital skills, fostering connections among like-minded individuals, accessing policy-making forums, and contributing to the digital transformation and development of the Asia-Pacific region.
In his opening remarks for the Asean GICT Policy Summit, DICT secretary Ivan John Uy expressed the department’s commitment to empowering young women and girls in ICT.
Uy emphasized that digital literacy is not just an asset but a necessity, and it is the responsibility of society to equip young minds with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to thrive.
The Philippines GICT Day 2023 and Asean GICT Policy Summit highlighted the Philippines’ dedication to fostering gender equality in the digital sphere.
This commitment was exemplified through the agency’s Digital Innovation for Women Advancement (DIWA) Program, which aimed to promote the role and value of young women and girls in ICT.
DICT undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, chair of the NICTM 2023 Steering Committee and convenor of DIWA, emphasized the importance of increasing the participation and access of young women and girls in ICT.
The events received support from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regional Office in Asia and the Pacific, as well as the Department of Trade and Foreign Affairs of the Australian Government.
The initiatives were aligned with ITU’s decision in 2022 to promote Girls in ICT Day throughout the year, expanding its impact beyond the previous one-day global event held every fourth Thursday of April.
Notable figures from international organizations, including Kishore Babu, the ITU representative for Southeast Asia and other member states in Asia and the Pacific, and Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov, Unicef representative in the Philippines, graced GICT 2023.
Dendevnorov emphasized the significance of technology and digital skills in ensuring the full and equal participation of girls in the digital society.
She also shed light on the barriers, such as gender stereotypes, limited resources, and insufficient training and educational opportunities, that hinder girls’ involvement in the digital economy.
The highlight of GICT 2023 was the official launch of DIWA Philippines, led by Batapa-Sigue. The initiative garnered wide support from participants and aimed at increasing the number of Filipino women engaged in the ICT industry.
Additionally, Batapa-Sigue outlined the action plan for Asean Girls in ICT Activities during the Asean GICT Policy Summit.
The events featured a diverse range of participants, including keynote speakers, expert panelists, and innovative workshop leaders.
Each event comprised four panel discussions, enabling young women and girls to learn from influential ICT leaders and industry figures.
Catherine Setiawan, ITU project coordinator, also delivered presentations on AI and Gender, as well as the ITU project on “Enhancing the Development of Standards and Frameworks for Critical Technologies in Southeast Asia.”
The Philippine GICT 2023 panel discussions covered various topics, including the ITU Girls in ICT Agenda, breaking the glass ceiling for girls in ICT through regional initiatives, trailblazing pathways for girls in ICT, and empowering girls through collaboration.
The Asean GICT Policy Summit panel discussions focused on sharing good practices from previous Girls in ICT Day celebrations in Southeast Asia, engaging girls and female youth representatives from Asean, promoting academe-industry collaboration, and enhancing women’s participation in STEM fields.
The Philippine GICT 2023 panels included digital women leaders such as DICT assistant secretary Maria Teresa Camba, Philippine Commission on Women Deputy executive director Maria Kristine Josefina Balmes, and startup innovation leader Diane Eustaqio for “The ITU Girls in ICT Agenda” panel.
Data scientist Frei Sangil, DICT regional directors Evamay De La Rosa, Sitti Alawi, and Cheryl Ortega, and ICT Industry Development Bureau chief Emmy Lou Delfin, participated in the “Breaking the Glass Ceiling for Girls in ICT: Regional Initiatives” panel.
Panel 3, “Trailblazing Pathways for Girls in ICT,” featured USAID-BEACON’s Gichelle Cruz, Analytics Association of the Philippines’ Michelle Alarcon, Packetworx’ Raisa Orbon, Gail Cruz-Macapagal of the Women in Blockchain, and Limitless Labs’s Joie Cruz as the moderator.
DICT’s Patricia Nicole Uy moderated the “Girls for Girls in ICT” panel. Catherine Setiawan presented on AI and Gender.
The Asean Girls in ICT Policy Summit included speakers like Dian Wulandari of Indonesia, Van Khemry of Cambodia, Carmelita Soi Tolentino of Timor Leste, Trairat Viriyasirikul of Thailand, and DICT’s Batapa-Sigue, with ITU Regional Office in Asia and The Pacific’s Rury Demsey as the moderator for the “Sharing Good Practices from Previous Girls in ICT Day Celebration in Southeast Asia” panel.
Panel 2 discussed “Girls in ICT Day Group Session: Girls and female youth representatives from Asean” with UN Women’s Lenlen Rosalyn Mesina, DICT Directors Maria Teresa Magno Garcia, and Maria Victoria Castro.
Panel on ICT skills featured speakers Kristelle Ong of the Philippine Call Center Institute, Celeste Ilagan of the IT-Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), and Judy Saw of EC-Council, moderated by ITU youth envoys Bless Ann De Vera and Karenina Nuraini Yustika.
ITU’s Catherine Setiawan presented on “Enhancing the Development of Standards and Frameworks for Critical Technologies in Southeast Asia,” while Shumate Royo moderated the “Enhancing Women Participation in STEM” panel.
