(Eagle News)–The Philippines was named among the top “digital risers” in East Asia and the Pacific, the Department of Information and Communications Technology said.
The department said the Philippines was particularly cited in the European Center for Digital Competitiveness’ Digital Riser Report 2020, which analyzes and ranks the changes in the digital competitiveness of countries over the last three three years based on digital ecosystem and mindset.
It builds upon data from the Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum every year.
According to the department, based on the report, one of the strengths of the Philippines was the passage of the “Innovative Start-up Act” aimed at strengthening, promoting, and developing an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem and culture.
The act includes the creation of the Start-up Development Program, which offers benefits and incentives for start-ups and start-up enablers.
The report also cited other regulations that are expected to have a positive impact on the country’s start-up community, including the Philippines’ regulation of start-up visas for owners, employees, and investors as part of the Start-up Assistance Program 2019-2023; the prioritization and expedited processes for state services applications for promising start-ups and enablers; and the integration of entrepreneurship in the curricula of education institutions and the provision of incentives to academic institutions, the department said.
“This just proves that we are now reaping the fruits of the government’s digitalization efforts,” Secretary Gregorio Honasan II said.
Honasan said the department would continue its plans and projects to speed up the country’s digital transformation.
At present, the department said it was implementing digital transformation programs to help the country better adapt to the new normal brought about by COVID-19.
It has also expressed support for the passage of the “E-Governance Act of 2020” that aims to institutionalize e-governance in the Philippines.
The department also signed a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and other agencies to streamline the permitting requirements and procedures for building common towers, and was ramping up the deployment of free Wi-Fi in the country, it said.
“We will continue to collaborate with other national government agencies, local government units, as well as with the private sector and the academe for a more effective and efficient development and implementation of various initiatives,” Honasan added.
