AFTER A LENGTHY hiatus, I.T. Talks! is back in publication. This column started seeing print in 1998, and focused on the goings-on within the Information Technology industry of Davao City. Seven years later and the industry is now more robust and even more promising, hence my resolution to give voice once again to IT issues and concerns.

Back then, the only sector of the industry that had a solid footing was that of the hardware vendors, represented by a strong organization called the Association of Computer Businesses in Mindanao (ACBM). Davao software programmers then were mostly freelancers, although there have been a handful of well-established programming outfits already operating. Today, there are at least a dozen software development companies in the city, plus a number of other specialized IT solutions providers. And, more sectors are already formalized, such as the Association of Solution Integrators in Davao (ASID) and the Internet Cafes Association of Davao (ICAD). In the interim, an umbrella organization called the Davao City ICT Council came into existence in the hopes of addressing the industry’s need for direction-setting.

What’s more, the existence of special-interest groups–such as the Davao City Linux Study Group and the PDA Users Group @ Davao (PUG@D)–point to a maturing community of technology users and providers. Whereas in the late ’90s the local IT industry was "thin" and underdeveloped, in this first decade of the new millennium, Davao finds herself not at all far behind Metro Manila or Cebu City. This is in terms of skills level, capabilities and aptitude. The question is, what can the industry as a whole show for itself in terms of overall impact on the economy?

This is probably the question that the city government is also mulling over, hence its reluctance to accept IT as a priority area of focus. This is perfectly understandable as the city must naturally concentrate its efforts on the development of its strongest industries. On the other hand, City Hall and the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) have been showing signs of recognizing this fresh and uncompromising industry as a contributor to the city’s economy.

In 2004, the SP created the Committee on Information Technology, currently chaired by Hon. Rene Lopez, MD. Within IT circles, this is considered a landmark event, marking the start of mutually beneficial relations between the government and the private sector. The executive branch, as well, is to be commended for twice assisting the ASID financially in the latter’s participation in the annual e-Services Philippines exposition.

In that event, the ASID had the opportunity to present Davao City to the global business community as a viable destination for investment and outsourcing. In concrete terms, the ASID’s member-companies were able to connect with IT buyers who were looking for local providers of business systems and other IT-enabled services. Especially significant was the outcome of business-matching sessions with Japanese companies. The ASID, an organization of Davao-based companies that deliver IT services, is now poised to penetrate the Japanese market as a result of its aggressive promotions and professional marketing activities.

Another achievement was the Association’s huge media exposure, which was the most that any entity (or any city) received for participating in the e-Services Expo. The big networks, such as INQ7 and BusinessWorld, carried news articles that depicted our city in a wholly positive light. This is clearly one indicator that Davao is now making quite a splash in the national IT scene.

The city’s IT movers and shakers are positive in their outlook, however they do recognize that Davao still has a few miles to go to keep apace of acclaimed places such as Bangalore in India and CyberJaya in Malaysia. Still and all, once the private sector and the local government realize a synchronization of goals, Davao can indeed become a recognized supplier of IT talent and resources.

In this column, I shall strive to present to you, my readers, the developments, setbacks, issues, personalities and news that concern the Information Technology industry of Davao City. And as long as it affects our city, IT-related events in other parts might be covered as well. While this is an IT column, still I will avoid technical discussions. Rather, I will focus on how technology can be relevant to everyday life.

Comments are most welcome!