07 June 2016 - Philippine ICT experts from the public and private sectors visited Brunei Darussalam from May 12 to 13 to attend the 4th BIMP-EAGA Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Infrastructure Cluster Meeting held at Dewan Mahligal, The Airport Mall, Bandar Seri Begawan. The Philippine delegation was headed by Mr. Edgardo R. Celorico, Regional Director of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Regional Office No. IX.
During the meeting, delegation members were able to discuss ICT sector strategies and infrastructure cluster projects and initiatives to be undertaken by country stakeholders in each BIMP-EAGA member-country. The meeting also presented the BIMP-EAGA ICT Infrastructure Cluster’s deliverables for 2016 which include the final draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among BIMP-EAGA Member-Countries for Governance, Development and Cooperation in ICT and Multimedia, and the BIMP-EAGA Submarine and Terrestrial (BEST) Cable Segment 1 and 2.
Delegation members who came from the private sector also participated in the ICT CEO Forum wherein a BIMP-EAGA Crowdfund platform for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) was launched with the signing of the MOU among Startup Hubs (Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, and the Philippines) for cooperation, development, and promotion of the crowdfund platform. Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people, today often performed via internet-mediated registries, but the concept can also be executed through mail-order subscriptions, benefit events, and other methods.
The delegation members who met their counterparts from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia include Engr. Rudy C. Valdez, PECE, Regional Director of NTC Caraga Regional Office; Mr. Teodoro D. Buenavista, Jr., Regional Director of NTC Regional Office No. X; Mr. Josue de Villa Go, Regional Director II of NTC Regional Office No. XI; Mr. Joselito C. Leynes, Regional Director of NTC Regional Office No. IV; Mr. Ernesto M. Tomas Jr., Chief of the Investment Promotions Division of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA); Mr. Reynaldo Tan Sy, Acting Director II at the Department of Science and Technology – ICT Office (DOST-ICTO); Mr. Leonardo Villaflores Sultan, Officer In Charge at the DOST-ICTO; Mr. Harry Rallane Andres, Engineer II at the DOST-ICTO; Atty. Samuel R. Matunog, Chairperson of the BIMP-EAGA ICT CEO Forum and President of ICT Davao Inc.; Dr. Alfredo Panizales, President and Chief Executive Officer of E.A. Trilink Corporation; Ms. Lizabel G. Holganza, Member of the BIMP-EAGA ICT CEO Forum and Vice-President, ICT Davao Inc.; and Mr. Michael Kelly P. Tiu Lim, President of the Zamboanga City ICT Council.
Mr. Frederick A. Rili, Attaché and Assistant from the Philippine Embassy in Brunei joined the delegation during their meeting.
Philippine Ambassador Meynardo LB. Montealegre hosted a high tea for the delegation at the Ambassador’s official residence on May 13.
The delegation was very pleased with the outcome of their meeting given the fruitful and productive discussions with their BIMP-EAGA counterparts. They expressed their utmost appreciation to the Philippine Embassy for welcoming them in Brunei and assisting them during the meeting. The delegation indicated their readiness to collaborate again with their BIMP-EAGA contemporaries to sustain the positive results of the 4th BIMP-EAGA ICT Infrastructure Cluster Meeting.
The delegation will be returning to Bandar Seri Begawan on November 25-26 for the 16th ASEAN Telecommunications and IT Ministers (TELMIN) Meeting to be hosted by Brunei Darussalam. END
