The New Architects of Tech: Three Female Leaders Creating a More Inclusive Industry

Manila, Philippines — In an era of rapid technological advancement, women are challenging the status quo, redefining innovation, and promoting inclusivity in the industry. Their contributions, from research and development to leadership, demonstrate that women are essential drivers of technological progress and diversity.

According to a Boston Consulting Group study, only 35% of the tech workforce in the Philippines comprises women, despite having the highest number of women technology graduates in the Southeast Asia region (48%). The disparity of opportunity and gender-based discrimination in the workforce is still prevalent despite years of advancing the rights and welfare of women in a male-dominated sector—or perhaps in society. 

Amidst the challenges, these three leading ladies are helping forge a path for future female innovators to make their mark in the technology landscape.

Progression Towards a Digital Philippines

Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin, Director IV for ICT Industry Development Bureau at the Department of Information and Communications Technology, brings a fresh perspective on the role of government in accelerating the country's digital transformation. With 25 years of forwarding the local ICT industry, Delfin is at the forefront of initiatives to ensure that technology serves as a catalyst for empowerment and equal opportunity for all Filipinos, especially women in the tech sector. Some of these initiatives include promoting diversity in leadership, creating safe and inclusive workplaces, offering training and skill development programs, and opportunities for networking and community-building.

"As a woman leader supporting the tech industry, my motivation stems from the belief that diversity in leadership drives innovation and inclusivity in the digitalization process. The DICT and the local tech industry are actively taking steps to create a more inclusive environment for women. Overall, these efforts contribute to creating a more inclusive and supportive environment where women can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of technology and innovation," Delfin emphasized.

“Remember, you have the power to shape the future of technology and make a positive impact in the world. Keep pushing forward with determination, resilience, and confidence,” she added.

Leading in Innovation: The Path Forward

This evolving narrative of female leadership in technology serves as a bridge to similar progressions in adjacent sectors, illustrating that the momentum of change can happen anywhere. We witness a parallel beacon of female leadership in Rosemarie Ong, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Wilcon Depot Inc. Under Ong's stewardship, Wilcon Depot Inc. has embarked on an ambitious digital transformation journey, setting new standards in the retail and construction supply industry.

Recognizing the critical importance of keeping pace with technological trends, Ong has spearheaded initiatives such as the VR Store Experience and the development of MyWilconApp, which have revolutionized customers' interactions with Wilcon's vast product offerings. Ong's vision extends beyond enhancing customer experience; it's about creating a ripple effect of empowerment and inclusivity. "By investing in women, we foster an inclusive society—transforming the landscape of business competitiveness and productivity," she asserts.

An Inclusive and Thriving Workplace for Women

Historically dominated by male leadership, the tech sector is witnessing a remarkable shift towards gender inclusivity and diversity, thanks to visionaries like Atty. Aileen Regio, co-coordinator of Eastern Communications. With a steadfast belief in the power of innovation and the vital role of women in tech, Regio has been at the forefront of Eastern Communications' transformation. 

Her leadership during the challenging pandemic has not only steered the company towards embracing ICT solutions but has also showcased the indispensability of female leadership in driving technological advancement and organizational change. “Time has truly changed for the better. I want to encourage more women to take the lead and showcase their talents and capabilities,” she highlighted. 

At Eastern, Atty. Regio commits to be a transformative force not just in breaking barriers for women tech innovators, but also in spearheading innovation and adapting to the evolving digital era, “I firmly believed that embracing innovation was best for the company and would benefit our people.” Her seven years of visionary leadership have not only advanced Eastern Communications' position in the telecommunications industry but have also exemplified a broader movement towards inclusivity and progress.

Looking towards the future, Regio envisions a tech industry where women are not just well-represented but are steering the path toward innovation. "I dream that women in tech will thrive, driving innovation and leading change," she stated. With initiatives focused on diversity and gender equality, such as the full implementation of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act and Safe Spaces Act in the workplace and equal capacity-building opportunities, Eastern Communications is committed to making this vision a reality, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable tech landscape.

The technology industry is changing. Despite the challenges, there's a growing recognition of the need for gender equality and the invaluable contributions women bring to the tech scene. From leadership roles to groundbreaking innovations, women are proving indispensable in pushing the boundaries of what's possible in tech.

The message is clear: the future of technology is not just digital—it is unequivocally inclusive. As we navigate the complexities and competitive tech scene, women will thrive and leave their mark in the world. 

To learn more about Eastern Communications’ women-led programs and services, contact 5300-7000 or visit www.eastern.com.ph.

Smart Powers 7-Eleven Run 2024 to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle for Filipinos

PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) powered 7-Eleven’s Run 2024 staged simultaneously in three major cities across the country – Manila, Iloilo, and Cagayan de Oro last weekend.

Smart has been the exclusive telco partner of the 7-Eleven Run -- which usually averages ten categories ranging from 1KM to 42KM for run enthusiasts of all levels – for the past seven years.

“In this year’s 7-Eleven Run, we are happy to provide 5G and fiber-fast internet at the three serving sites of this year’s run in Manila, Iloilo, and Cagayan de Oro enabling our participants, partners, and guests to seamlessly connect to the internet, post their photos, videos hassle-free, and share their fun experience during the event using our leveled-up PLDT & Smart wireless networks,” said Chito M. Franco, Consumer Sales VP and Head of Key Accounts at PLDT and Smart.

Runners were also able to visit the Smart booths equipped with charging stations, a lounge area to rest, and participate in fun activities to win some special giveaways.

PLDT and Smart customer Shaid-Ali Mohamad from Marawi City is an avid 7-Eleven Run participant. He joined the 16KM category in Cagayan de Oro. “This year, I convinced my wife to join me. Actually, last year, I also participated in the fun run in Manila. I joined the 7-Eleven Run for health reasons, since we are not getting any younger. The second reason is to bond with family and friends, or meet new people as part of the running community,” he said.

Iloilo runner Dr. Faye Palmares said that running early in the morning brings her joy. “It refreshes you and instills a sense of tranquility. We purchased as a group and registered through the 7-Eleven CliQQ Mobile App. My running experience was very calm, and I felt very safe, which is quite rare in our running events, so I appreciate 7-Eleven for the great experience."

From supporting the 7-Eleven Run before the pandemic, and when the event transitioned into a virtual run during the COVID-19 lockdown era, until finally making a comeback for a face-to-face event once the restrictions eased, Smart’s partnership with 7-Eleven Run has enabled the telco to promote an active lifestyle to its customers, particularly at a time when health and wellness have become such an important aspect of their lives.

“We are grateful to have Smart as our constant partner even beyond the 7-Eleven Run, ensuring that we can help provide the telco needs of our customers and elevate their experience in our stores,” said Jose C. Ang, Jr., General Merchandise Head at Philippine Seven Corp, the local licensee of 7-Eleven.

This partnership also underscores Smart and its parent company PLDT’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goal #3: ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. 

PCTA’s e-Tech Show Highlights the Importance of Cable and Broadband Amidst Pandemic

The Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association Inc. (PCTA) staged their first ever e-technology show from April 14 to 16. Themed “Bigger. Bolder. Together,” the virtual convention gathered members of the country’s cable and telecommunication industries as they discussed pressing topics and the impacts of the pandemic in the communities they serve.

The country’s first e-technology convention

“We’ve been talking about disruption for years, and the pandemic made it more real for us than we could ever have imagined,” said PCTA President Joel Dabao. “It has pushed all of us to adapt and innovate fast. This year’s e-tech show demonstrates the PCTA’s willingness to take the lead in helping the country and our stakeholders thrive amidst the limitations of lockdowns and quarantines.”

“For an industry rooted on communications technology, one virus has immobilized us,” expressed PCTA Chairman Ralph Casiño. “In recent years we held our breath as newer technologies circumvented cable television’s traditional role as conduit of information and entertainment.”

At the 2019 PCTA convention, the organization changed its name from Philippine Cable Association to Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association.

“That would turn out to be the most important decision all of us made since we started the organization. With that singular act of foresight, we took the responsibility of making sure our association and industry are willing and able to change with a restless and fickle world. Thus we moved on to a larger world embracing allied industries with whom we can collaborate and create a more extensive business model.”

Last year when the pandemic hit the country, the PCTA launched Mabuhay ang Lokal, a campaign that aimed to boost the morale of its members and their respective communities by celebrating the stories of local cultures and communities.

Improving Filipinos’ access to the internet

Keynote speaker Sen. Grace Poe emphasized the important role of the internet in the country’s socioeconomic progress, saying the digital age should leave no Filipino behind, especially during the new normal.

Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, cited the lack of shared infrastructures, tedious network rollout, limited choices for consumers, and lack of performance standards for service providers as among the challenges that need to be addressed to make the industry globally competitive.

Aiming to provide Filipinos internet access that is not only reliable and fast but also affordable, Poe filed the Better Internet Act. The bill mandates increase in service coverage, sets threshold speed to regional standards, protects consumers, and streamlines requirements for shared infrastructures.

The senator is also the author of The Rural Wired Connectivity Development Act, which focuses on improving internet access in the provinces by incentivizing small providers to claim as tax credit the cost of connection equipment.

Poe also filed a bill seeking to promote the development and growth of cable television and direct-to-home television by requiring CATV operators to reserve at least one channel as education platform.
“It has been widely agreed upon that there is a positive correlation between internet accessibility and a country’s socio-economic development,” she said.

According to the senator, studies have shown that increasing broadband penetration by 10 percent has resulted in a 1.35 to 1.38-percent increase in the GDP of developing countries.

“Unfortunately in the Philippines, there is a digital divide; it is estimated that 40 percent of Filipinos are not yet connected. If we provide internet to this 40 percent, we can easily add five percent to our GDP, a huge help to our economy,” she said.

Poe pointed out that the quality of internet service can also affect e-commerce, e-learning, telemedicine and the simple but valuable need of staying in touch with loved ones during this quarantine.

She also hailed the country’s cable operators for bringing information and entertainment through their programs especially in the provinces.

Reaching out to learners and teachers through educational TV

Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones thanked the PCTA in bringing the TV programs of DepEd to Filipino homes. “With your help, DepEd TV has become one of the most powerful components of our blended learning modality to deliver basic education at this time of COVID. The burden has become lighter and helped us in ensuring the continuity of education in the new normal.”

In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, DepEd orders the adoption of the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BELCP) for School Year 2020-2021. Under BELCP, DepEd aims to reach at least 72.3% of learners through access to the DepEd TV programs.

The importance of cable TV was also echoed by Knowledge Channel’s President and Executive Director Rina Lopez Bautista. “Through our partnership with the PCTA and DepEd, we are giving Filipino children the opportunity to continue learning during a time that is filled with uncertainty. Our partnership has never been so critical and timely. We need to improve the quality of basic education especially in the foundational years, and with COVID making learning even more fragile, we must bridge the gap in the educational divide between the haves and have-nots.”

The Knowledge Channel and PCTA recently signed a memorandum of agreement in order to reach more households through cable TV. Around 750,000 households have access to the Knowledge Channel.

The PCTA is composed of 360 regular members and 32 affiliate members, PCTA-member cable operators serving 75% of the total cable TV subscribers in the Philippines.

Visit www.pcta.org.ph or follow PCTA on Facebook for more information.



ABOUT PCTA

The PHILIPPINE CABLE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION (PCTA), INC. is the umbrella organization of nationwide Cable Television Operators and Internet Service Providers in the Philippines. Its membership roster includes the biggest cable operators in the country as well as the medium and small cable operators who, through their pain-staking efforts, have succeeded in bringing up-to-date programs, information, and technology to the farthest island in the country. To date, the PCTA has over 300 regular members. Together, the PCTA member-cable operators are serving 75% of the total cable TV subscribers in the Philippines.

TAIWAN HARBORS THE POTENTIAL TO INSPIRE PH IN ICT

TAIWAN can certainly serve as the Philippines’ role model in information and communications technology (ICT), given its strong foothold in innovation.

For almost three decades, Taiwan has been highly regarded as a vital player in the global IT supply chain, as well as a significant partner for many international brands including Apple, Google, and Microsoft. The ICT sector has therefore become a huge source of pride for Taiwan.
Taiwanese companies hold significant market shares in semiconductors, PCs, mobile devices, broadband appliances, and display products and technologies. Taiwan is the world’s largest supplier of these products, collectively contributing to over 16% of Taiwan’s total GDP.

With the rise of AI and IoT, Taiwan is shifting from an economy based on high-tech manufacturing, to an economy driven by intellectual property and innovation. Taiwan’s high-tech competitiveness includes top talent, a well-developed industrial chain, and a formidable entrepreneurial spirit. These elements combined enable Taiwan’s ICT industry to leverage today’s trends and pave the way for the technology of the future.

【Sharing expertise to PH enterprises】

The ‘Taiwan Excellence’ experience, organized by the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), will provide businesses ranging from small to large from the Philippines a platform to offer the latest IoT innovations, directly from leading Taiwanese IoT solutions providers. This is a great opportunity to consider how these solutions can enhance one’s own business offering.

The participating companies in this year’s Asia IoT Business Platform (AIBP) held at the Marriott Hotel, Manila are: Accton Technology Corp., a best practice awardee for manufacturing quality; Apacer Technology Inc., a leading producer of industrial SSDs, digital consumer products, and memory modules; Aver Information, award-winning education and communication innovators; ICP DAS, an industrial automation technology innovator and enhancer; and, IEI Integration Corp., a leading industrial computer provider.

‘Taiwan Excellence’ is confident in the Philippines’ ability to progress in ICT, as indicated by its IT sector’s steady spending.

“We see progress in the Philippines’ ICT sector and Taiwan will be happy to contribute to this growth and help Filipino enterprises further succeed in their operations,” said Wen-Chung Chang, Director of the Economic Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines.
Taiwan is determined to advocate for innovation, improve employment and income distribution, and to create more balanced regional development, by leveraging the immense momentum of many markets, at present.

According to Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Taiwan moves up to 16th in global competitiveness, a notch higher from the previous year’s ranking. Furthermore, Taiwan has steadily maintained its place as the 4th most competitive economy in Asia as declared in the 2019 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking. With many software and hardware engineers and technological centers and innovation clusters growing organically throughout major Taiwanese cities, Taiwan is on its way to becoming a major startup hub in Asia, and even internationally.

【The potential economic impact of IoT in the short-term 】

Just how substantial is the potential global economic impact of IoT?
Citing a research report by McKinsey & Company’s Global Institute, ‘Taiwan Excellence’ said the estimate could range to “$3.9 trillion to $11 trillion a year by 2025”.   McKinsey has continued a significant expansion In Taiwan with the recently launched regional industrial IoT hub in Taipei, due to its rapid growth in the past 18 months.

Factories could be the strongest driving force behind IoT’s generated value, followed by cities and health.