FIRST SAY:
“It is not only tiresome when otherwise intelligent people speak this way, it is morally reprehensible. This kind of faith really is the perfection of narcissism. ‘God loves Me, don’t ya know? He cured me of my eczema. He makes me feel so good while singing in church. And just when we had given up hope, he found a banker who was willing to reduce my mother’s mortgage.’
“Given all that this god of yours does not accomplish in the lives of others, given the misery that is being imposed on some helpless child at this instant, this kind of faith is obscene.
“To think in this way is to fail to reason honestly, or to care sufficiently in the suffering of other human beings.”— Sam Harris
The government is working to create 1 million digital jobs by 2028 which could bring in P24 billion to fund public services and infrastructure projects, according to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“We're on a mission to create 1 million digital jobs by 2028, potentially bringing in P24 billion to fund various public services and infrastructure projects,” Marcos said in a Facebook post. For the President to make such a bold announcement, he must have already talked with the right people who will help him make this ambitious plan a reality.
People who will flesh out this dream, push it forward to see the light of day. It is reassuring that Bongbong Marcos made the announcement following his meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) in Malacañang to discuss updates and their recommendations concerning the Digital Infrastructure Work Plans.
“With PSAC, we're aligning training programs with market demands, preparing our workforce, and opening doors to digital innovation and economic growth in the country,” he added. In a statement issued Sunday, PSAC said Marcos ordered a “strategic focus” on creating 1 million digital jobs by 2028 during their meeting.
The President also advocated for the empowerment of the Inter-Agency Council for Development and Competitiveness of the Philippine Digital Workforce, which will spearhead public-private partnerships essential for targeted skills development and training programs.
The inter-agency council is the primary planning, coordinating, and implementing body of Republic Act No. 11927, or the "Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act," which is enacted to enhance the skills and competitiveness of the Philippine workforce in the digital age.
Another significant development tackled during the meeting is the implementation of the 10,000 Digital Civil Servants project, which will begin with the foundational training of some 40 participants in Singapore, who will lead a larger training cohort in the Philippines to significantly boost the capabilities of the government’s digital services.
Prioritize the GIDA
During the meeting, Marcos also directed the prioritization of Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) in the expanding connectivity services to bridge the digital divide. In line with this, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla introduced a security and rationalization program for protecting submarine cables and transmission lines, which is crucial for ensuring uninterrupted digital connectivity, especially in regions prone to land reclamation activities.
The PSAC also vowed to develop a detailed proposal for “nationwide, meaningful digital connectivity” to facilitate the construction and establishment of needed infrastructure.
“With these government-endorsed initiatives, we are set to transform the Philippine digital infrastructure, ensuring competitiveness in the global digital economy and fostering digital inclusivity for all Filipinos,” PSAC Digital Infrastructure Sector Lead and UnionDigital President and CEO Henry Aguda said.
Created by Marcos on July 2022, PSAC offers guidance to the President in supporting the achievement of the country's economic objectives and to strengthen synergies between the private and public sectors. It comprises business leaders and experts across six main sectoral groups — Agriculture, Digital Infrastructure, Jobs, Healthcare, Build-Build-Build and Tourism.
I would like to think that this latest Palace initiative is a follow through of an earlier order by the President directing the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to harness and upscale the micro, small and medium enterprises by introducing them to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered system to comply with the changing technological demands.
The Chief Executive was replying to the MSMEs’ need to be fully equipped with modern technology to keep up with both physical and online demands amid technological advancements.
The President also said the government’s efforts to introduce MSMEs to AI system aims to ensure the ease of doing business, and to make it “as easy as possible, as simple as possible” for them.
In 2022, MSMEs comprised 99.59 percent of total establishments in the Philippines. They contributed 65.10 percent to total employment, highlighting their huge impact on jobs and livelihood in the country.
Artificial Intelligence is a new tool in information technology’s ever-expanding trove of amazing applications, and although still in its infancy stage, AI has proved to be effective in making business, education, media, engineering, medical care, transportation and other human activities move faster and safer.
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