DAVAO CITY—People from the information and communication technology (ICT) sector here and abroad are getting together in a congress in this city this October to promote the importance of ICT in this day and age.

The first Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) ICT Congress is happening here in October, alongside the sixth Mindanao ICT Congress and other smaller gatherings that include the first Mindanao Open Software Conference and the Davao Bloggers’ Congress.

Andrei Fournier, head of the ICT Industry of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the ICT gatherings of Mindanao and the BIMP-EAGA congress would highlight the varied aspects of ICT and, at the same time, show how similar the concerns of ICT businesses are.

This will bring together policy-makers from major telecommunication companies in this subregional economic cooperation in East Asia.

There are concerns that need to be addressed in the Mindanao cities and within the BIMP, including an inquiry on whether or not Mindanao would serve as the business process outsourcing (BPO) hub in the subregion, or if it would be for the BIMP to serve as the BPO center for the rest of the world.

Many of the concerns appeared to be basic, such as the dissimilar growth patterns of the sector even in the four major cities of Mindanao.

For example, the case of BIMP on broadband connectivity that hampered the entry of outsourced business, according to Fournier.

“We also want the concern of Mindanao to be taken up in the BIMP-EAGA conference in October,” Fournier said. “We are also interested how the concerns of the BIMP-EAGA would interest Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations].” The BIMP is an Asean subregion.

Eriberto Barriga Jr., director of malls and entertainment business of the NCCC Mall, said that the schedules have already been firmed up. The NCCC Mall will host the October congresses. The BIMP-EAGA congress has taken on the theme: Human Capital Infrastructure and Technology Innovation.

“In the past three congresses of the Mindanao ICT, the issues had always been on how to sustain the committee on ICTs in local governments. This time, we would be different: we would [face] the ICT leaders [from] the different regions,” Barriga said.

In both the Mindanao and BIMP-EAGA ICT congresses, Davao City would bid out to host the Internet portal as it would also let the BIMP know that the private sector is taking the lead.

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