BPO players want the next president to prioritize ICT development in the country.

This was the gist of the industry players attending the two-day 10th e-Services Global Sourcing Conference and Exhibition currently held at the SMX Convention Center.

Gillian Virata, executive director of the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPA/P), said they have presented the “e-Growth Plan” to the Commission on ICT and the National Economic and Development Authority for the next government to prioritize ICT growth.

“But, we are disappointed because none of the presidentiables is picking it up,” said Virata.

According to Virata, the “e-Growth Plan” is not just about ICT per se, but encompassing all ICT issues from connectivity to the provision of personal computers in every home to education.

Although none of the presidentiables has shown interest on its plan, Virata said, “We are still confident that in general they are supportive of business.”

Monchito Ibrahim, Commissioner of the Commission on ICT, said that given the contribution of the ICT sector to the domestic economy and the status the country has attained in the global outsourcing world, “The next president should put ICT development very high on his priorities.”

The ICT sector, however, has faced daunting challenges as the DICT Bill, which was already filed in Congress since 2001, was among the economic bills that were not passed by Congress.

The non-passage of the DICT bill has put the Philippines, the recognized global outsourcing hub, behind most its more developed ASEAN neighbors with no BPO industry to speak of and relegated the country in the league of Cambodia and Laos.

CICT chairman Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua 111 said that the Philippines is the only ASEAN country with no ICT department except for Cambodia and Laos.

“We should have done this before and we could have done more with the DICT,” Chua said even noting that they are not even confident on what the next president would do with CICT.

“The next president can reverse the executive order creating the CICT,” he said.