QUEZON CITY -- Provincial locations outside of Metro Manila set their goals to create a total of over a hundred thousand local jobs in their respective cities by 2025.
Of the 31 cities launched as part of the Digital Cities Program in June last year, nine cities successfully completed their five-year roadmaps and launched them today in a virtual ceremony organized by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). These include Balanga, Batangas, General Santos, Iligan, Legazpi, Puerto Proncesa, Taytay Rizal, Tuguegarao, and Zamboanga.
“These cities are launching their ICT industry roadmaps to improve the readiness of their localities for the digital economy. The goal is not just to recover from the economic slowdown, but to further boost growth for our local industries and our local communities,” DICT Secretary Gregorio “Gringo” B. Honasan II said.
“We likewise aim to bridge the progress gap in the countryside to strengthen local economies,” he added.
The DICT, through its ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB), in partnership with the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) and Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC), launched the Digital Cities Program a year ago to support the growth of digital jobs in the countryside.