The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) has called for significant strides in digital transformation, cybersecurity, and workforce development to help the Philippines thrive in an increasingly tech-driven world.
In a recent meeting at Malacañang with Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., PSAC’s Digital Infrastructure Sector urged the government to expedite initiatives on several key pillars of digital transformation, including the National ID system, digital payments, data governance, and cybersecurity.
One of the main proposals discussed was the creation of a “Government -as-a-Service” model, which would integrate government agencies through a shared digital system, similar to how apps work together on a smartphone.
This system, according to PSAC, would allow citizens to access services like document applications, permit requests, and fee payments from a single platform.
At the same, the council cited the current administration for supporting the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, noting the government’s endorsement of allocating upskilling budgets for up to 340,000 BPO workers annually, including near-hire individuals and college students.
This initiative, it said, is seen as essential to ensuring the country’s global competitiveness as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the workforce.
Myla Villanueva, PSAC Digital Infrastructure lead and MDI Group Holdings chairperson, emphasized that “this budget allocation will help prepare the workforce for the ongoing AI-driven transformation of the global economy.”
To make this happen, PSAC recommended that the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) take the lead in testing platforms like eGovDX and eGovPay.
They also proposed opening data and systems to private developers, encouraging collaboration to improve digital services.
Cybersecurity was another top priority. With growing cyber threats, PSAC called for the urgent passage of the Cybersecurity Bill in Congress. In the interim, the group plans to collaborate with government agencies to assess vulnerabilities and train a new wave of cybersecurity professionals.
“These initiatives are not just for tech experts — they are for all Filipinos,” said Sabin Aboitiz, PSAC lead convenor and Aboitiz Group president and CEO. “They are essential to improving government services, securing our digital lives, and creating jobs for the future.”
