Last 7 June 2007 I was invited by the Rotary Club of Davao to be their guest of honor and speaker. Rotary Davao, otherwise known as “the mother club”, is comprised of Davao’s captains of industry. The membership roster boasts an impressive list of the city’s leading businessmen and professionals. Needless to say, it was rather daunting to stand in front of them and deliver a speech, although that was actually my second time to be invited by the mother club.

What immediately drove out the butterflies was the Rotarians’ apparent interest in my subject matter. I had thought it would be difficult for me to inspire enthusiasm among a group of “traditional” industrialists. But I was mistaken. After all, they did invite me specifically to talk about Davao’s information technology industry. The interaction after my presentation was lively, and it was clear that the advances our I.T. industry has made have reached the ears of Davao’s industry leaders.

I focused the discussion on the present state of the local I.T. industry. After providing a brief history (we trace the start of the I.T . industry’s growth spurt back to 1996), I delved into what the industry’s movers and shakers have been accomplishing thus far. I did admit that Davao’s I.T. portfolio is still very thin — but that the problem is not in quality or capability, but in numbers, in capacity. And so I enjoined the Rotarians to consider investing in information technology businesses. While we welcome external investments, the point I hope I was able to drive was that local investments in I.T. are vital.

After the Rotary Davao meeting, I was able to connect with a few of the members for potential I.T. projects. This is what I do: endeavoring to bring Davao’s I.T. products and services to the marketplace. The principle that I abide by is this: Davao’s I.T. offerings are world-class. And the goal is to further strengthen the local I.T. industry in order for it to become the city’s second largest contributor to the local economy. (The first is, of course, agriculture.)

Today I am scheduled to deliver a similar talk to the Rotary Club of East Davao (the Sun•Star Davao publisher’s home club). It’s fulfilling that I’m able to bring the I.T. industry’s message to the city’s Rotarians. I hope that this effort will soon translate to more Davao companies coming online, and thus join the world of digitally-connected businesses. Local acceptance, I believe, is what will spur the growth of the local I.T. industry.

Happy Independence Day! Mabuhay ang Pilipino!!!