ICTs are vital to disaster management–Angara

In times of calamity and disaster, information and communications technologies (ICTs) can be used to deliver basic services such as decision-support systems for the agricultural and rural sectors, and improve health-care delivery to poor and far-flung areas.

Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara of Aurora province called on different stakeholders during the recent ceremonial launching of the Second National ICT of the Philippines (2nd NICP) Summit held at the Fort Stotsenburg Hotel here.

“The Congressional Commission on Science and Technology and Engineering [Comste] recognizes the significance of ICTs in delivering basic services…which also recognizes the need to implement these projects through public-private partnerships, where government need not spread thinly [and therefore ineffectively] already-limited resources and can tap into the varied and thriving expertise of the private sector,” Angara said.

At least 4,000 delegates are expected to attend the 2nd NICP Summit and Convergence 2009 from November 5 to 7 at the Fontana Convention Center.

The 2nd NCIP Summit 2009 and Convergence 2009 is a back-to-back event organized by the National ICT Conference of the Philippines and spearheaded by Clark Development Corp. (CDC), the Metro Clark ICT Council and Cyber City Teleservices Inc.

The two events be will be attended by a wide variety of sectoral members of ICT in academe, ICT-related business industries and related investment projects in the country, and is supported by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology. It is sponsored by Peregrine Global Gateways, ComClark, the Savers Group of Companies, Cyber City and CDC.

Organizers include the Department of Trade and Industry, the National Economic and Development Authority, the Clark Investors and Locators Association, the Philippine Society of Information Technology and Educators and Fontana Leisure Parks.

“I am particularly glad that the 2nd National ICT Summit has asked me to speak on global ICT opportunities and supportive government policies on ICT. This is exactly how we work in Congress and in Comste: Finding ways to leverage global experiences, technologies and opportunities with our own assets and, at the same time, provide an environment in the government where both the private and public sectors of society can be competitive,” Angara said.

“When Congress created the commission in 2007, we immediately identified IT and IT-enabled industries as one of the major players in the Philippines’ struggle for global competitiveness, identifying the IT sector as an important ‘enabler’ of many other sectors in society, especially in science and technology,” Angara added.

Metro Clark ICT council chairman George Sorio said the event will also include track sessions featuring various CICT initiatives and talks from key players in the business-process outsourcing and information-technology industry and in recognition of the important role of the ICT in advancing today’s growing business activities here and abroad. Written by Jacob Cunanan / Business Mirror Correspondent

Telcos form group to mitigate risks from natural disasters

Telcos form group to mitigate risks from natural disasters


By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- Telecommunications companies have formed a consortium of regional carriers to avert service disruption in case of natural disasters such as last year’s Taiwan earthquake which affected Internet and communications connections.

Called Pacific Partners, the alliance is composed of 14 major Asia Pacific carriers including the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT).

All members of the alliance have signed a memorandum of agreement to ensure quick restoration of services in their networks during major cable system failures, according to PLDT.

The other carriers are AT&T of the US, China Telecom, CAT Telecom of Thailand, Chunghwa Telecom of Taiwan, KDDI of Japan, Korea Telecom, INDOSAT of Indonesia, REACH of Hong Kong and Australia, Singapore Telecom, Telecom New Zealand, Telekom Malaysia, VNPT of Vietnam and VSNL International of India and Canada.

In December 2006, an earthquake originated from Taiwan damaging nine international submarine cable systems. Existing restoration plans proved insufficient, causing major difficulties in the Asia-Pacific region, including the slowing down of the Internet.

Top officials of major carriers met a few months later to discuss the impact of the Taiwan earthquake and came up with measures to avert a similar crisis.

One of the things agreed upon was to pursue a strategic cooperation initiative that would pool all available resources at their disposal – including manpower and facilities -- to deal with multiple cable failures that may occur in the future.

Under the terms of the MOU, the group will develop “Disaster Recovery Principles and Mechanism (DRP/M)” to ensure each party’s quick return to business-as-usual operation.

The end-goal is to minimize the impact of international cable failures on the consumer and business customers of all 14 carriers.

A committee chaired by PLDT carrier marketing management head Genaro Sanchez was created in early 2007 to undertake this task.

The DRP/M is expected to be ready for implementation by early 2008.