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The Philippine Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) Industry is aiming to become one of the world leaders in four more fast growing offshoring and outsourcing services, namely: Healthcare Information Management Outsourcing, Finance and Accounting Outsourcing, HR Outsourcing and Animation and Game Development, as well as solidifying its lead in call centers in the coming years.

This was revealed in a joint press conference held by the Information and Communications Technology Office (ICTO) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) on ICTO and BPAP’s new programs targeted to develop several key BPO market segments.

The Philippines recently overtook India as the call center capital of the world, and in 2011 the IT-BPO industry contributed approximately $11B in export revenues, about 640,000 direct jobs and approximately 1.5 million indirect jobs (e.g. construction and service jobs generated to serve the sector’s growth) to the Philippine Economy.

According to ICTO Deputy Executive Director Alejandro Melchor, “We are the world’s number one call center provider and we intend to attain market leadership in the UK and Australia as well. With our new development programs for the IT-BPO Industry we also intend to position the Philippines as a world leader in Healthcare Information Management Outsourcing, Finance and Accounting Outsourcing, HR Outsourcing, and Animation and Game Development. Our third goal is to double our market share by 2016 in Information Technology Outsourcing, Engineering Services Outsourcing and Multilingual BPO.”

 

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President Benigno C. Aquino III on January 12 this year signed Proclamation No. 313 declaring January of every year as “Philippine Tropical Fabrics (PTF) Month” to promote the judicious use of indigenous fibers in the country such as piña, banana, abaca, and Philippine silk. The Proclamation also aims to sustain the increased interest on local tropical fibers brought about by the celebration of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Day on January last year as mandated by Proclamation No. 86.

The Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), which leads the research and development of technologies on the country’s tropical textiles, will spearhead the tropical fiber month celebration as designated by Pres. Aquino.

“The competitiveness of indigenous tropical fibers developed by PTRI is becoming known,” said DOST Sec. Mario Montejo. “Moreover, R&D work done on these fibers reveal they can have a broad variety of uses, from traditional formal wear to fashion accessories. Its prospects are bright.”

 

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As the cities of Iligan and Cagayan De Oro continue to reel from the huge swath of destruction of lives and property left behind by super typhoon “Sendong,” the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) introduced a locally-developed scientific flood warning system that offers a more responsive disaster preparedness mechanism for the country.

In an interagency meeting held recently, DOST Secretary Mario Montejo presented the National Flood Monitoring, Forecasting, and Mitigation Program-- an integrated, comprehensive system that responds to the urgent need for a reliable flood warning system covering the country’s major river systems and watersheds.

“The National Flood Monitoring Program is government’s commitment toward a more effective and efficient disaster mitigation and monitoring system. Too many lives have already been lost, and it is high time for science to step up to the plate and save lives this time around,” Montejo said.

The project received support from other meeting participants, including Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Ma. Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, including the undersecretaries from the interior and local government and environment departments. Leading the meeting was Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson.

The flood management program, according to Montejo, has four main components: the DREAM or the Disaster Risk Exposure, Assessment, and Mitigation; FLOODNET; Sensors Development and Weather Media.

 

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The year 2011 has ended, let us look back to the breakthroughs and achievements of the science department in the service of the Nation in the last 12 months.

The Department of Science and Technology blazed new trails in addressing long-standing and emergent problems of national urgency under its High Impact Technology Solutions program, or HITS. Through HITS, we were able to scale up our efforts and initiatives to make an impact on the life of Juan de la Cruz and his family.

Under this program, we launched technologies such as the Automatic Weather Stations, Automatic Rain Gauges, Automated Guideway Transport (AGT) system, water nanofiltration containers, complementary foods, among others.

Of particular mention, though, is our aggressive campaign in 2011 to get as many kits of the Mosquito Ovicidal-Larvicidal Trap to households at direct risk to dengue, the latest public health menace. I have always taken the position that scientific understanding and technological adeptness should always serve human needs not only to enhance the quality of life but also to save lives.

In connection with this, we accorded priority attention to contributing disaster relief and mitigation efforts down to the local levels. This proactive approach in disaster risk reduction and management, which Pres. Aquino cited on numerous occasions, characterized DOST’s most important achievement under the Aquino administration.

We also stood in constant vigil monitoring the potentially devastating fallout of a killer tsunami in Japan that seriously damaged the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Here, the DOST issued daily updates to inform the Filipino public and pre-empt any false alarms and wild rumors meant to sow panic and confusion. We at the science department played a leading role in the country’s measured response against all these public interest events.

The national launch of Juan Time paved the way for Filipinos to understand the value of time. This socio-cultural initiative, where science is central, has made the public appreciate the existence of the Philippine Standard Time (PST) – with the DOST-PAGASA as the country’s official time keeper. An advocacy such as this proved that partnership can be made strengthened especially when national interest becomes the common concern.

In the coming year and beyond, the DOST is committed to fully implement its Five-Point DOST Development Program in line with the Aquino Administration’s national development agenda.