Keynote Message UNDERSECRETARY LOUIS NAPOLEON C. CASAMBRE Information and Communications Technology Office (ICT Office) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) th 11 Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP) 12 February 2015 Raffles Makati Hotel, Makati
Good evening, everyone! Before anything else, I would like to congratulate the organizers for holding this very successful event. Welcome to the 11th Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program! As an Engineering graduate, this event holds special meaning for me. If only during my time we had a program similar to what you have today, it would have certainly made a lot of difference in the lives of engineering students. SWEEP, as we call it, is a relevant project that links both the academe and the industry. Focusing on Electrical and Communications Engineering and Information Technology, SWEEP develops and strengthens the connections between the various colleges and universities around the Philippines. More than that, it has also created opportunities for the schools and their students by helping produce industry-ready graduates who have the potential to become technopreneurs. I would like to congratulate the Program for its notable contributions in the development of our students since its establishment 11 years ago.
SWEEP has allowed them to grow and flourish by turning their ideas into tangible results. In 2013 alone, the Program produced four start-up companies, whose projects have been turned into viable commercial products. This year’s theme is “Building Cloud-Based Communities.” As everyone present here must know, cloud computing makes use of applications that are web-based. Cloud computing is considered cheaper because there is less need for IT software and hardware infrastructure. Cloud-based applications have changed the way we live today. Everything we do can be compiled and accessed from the cloud, making complex processes simpler, cheaper, and more accessible. With the development of various cloud applications, businesses, students, and industries can easily explore possibilities for growth and development without having to spend a lot. The work you have produced throughout the length of SWEEP will hopefully change the landscape of Information Technology. We shall soon find out who will take home the grand prize, but I am sure that winner or not, our participants today will continue working and developing their products to become the next best thing in the field of IT. You might take the next step and become a start-up company. At the ICT Office, we believe in the potential of start-ups. In fact, as we work on reaching our goal of creating 1.3 million jobs in the IT-BPM industry, we
project that a big portion of this will come from the creation of start-up companies. To show our support, we have partnered with various industry associations and private entities that are focused on developing start-up companies in the country. Just last year, the Office held the Philippine Startup Challenge, with the aim of informing the Filipino youth about the endless opportunities in the industry. We also hoped to impart the message that they have an option to start their own companies, aside from working for established ones. The ICT Office is also on its way towards publishing the Philippine Startup Roadmap, which will provide insights on the Philippines’ start-up companies. This initiative is part of the Seed.PH, a project of our ICT Industry Development Project Management Team that promotes digital entrepreneurship to students and young professionals. The program aims to showcase the potential of the Philippines as one of the biggest start-up hubs in Asia. On the side of innovation, our mother agency, the Department of Science and Technology, has developed a cloud-based application as our response to disaster risk reduction management and adaptation. It is called Project NOAH or Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards, and is multi-platform, running on smartphones, tablets, desktop PCs, and laptops.
The DOST, through Project NOAH, is taking a multi-disciplinary approach in developing systems, tools, and other technologies that can be used by other government units to help prevent and mitigate disasters. Our mission is to undertake disaster science research, advance the use of cutting-edge technologies, and recommend innovative information services. A few months from now, we will also be launching our Free Wi-Fi for Public Places Project. This 1.408 billion-peso project is a way to combat the Digital Divide as it aims to accelerate the government’s efforts in enhancing Internet accessibility. With the internet, Filipinos are given access to economic, social, and educational opportunities. The Project shall connect the Class 3, 4, 5, and 6 municipalities with poor Internet connectivity. About 900 municipalities will benefit from this project, and by the end of the year, we hope that the Philippines will be 99% connected. These are only but a few of the initiatives that the ICT Office is doing in support of the growth of the country. SWEEP plays an important role in developing opportunities for progress, and as such, the ICT Office recognizes its importance. Rest assured that the DOST, through our Office, will continue to support SWEEP and other similar efforts by partnering with the private sector in spurring innovation through technology.
Once again, I would like to congratulate the organizers for a job well done and thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet the trailblazers that will change the Philippines and its future for the better. Thank you and I wish you all the 10 finalists the best of luck.