Aklan celebrates IT week

Aklan celebrates IT week

By Venus G. Villanueva, Thursday 15th of November 2012

KALIBO, Aklan, Nov 15 (PIA6) -- A series of information technology (IT)- related activities are being conducted in the province of Aklan from November 15 to 16 in observance of the first-ever IT Week celebration here.

The celebration is spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in partnership with the recently-organized Kalibo-Aklan Information Technology Enablers (Kaite), composed of leaders/representatives from the Aklan academe offering IT courses , business community and government sectors in the province.

First Kaite President is Noli Resterio, head of IT Department of Aklan Catholic College (ACC).

In his message during the opening program held November 15 at the APSTA Center in Kalibo, DTI-Aklan Provincial Director Diosdado P. Cadena Jr. lauded the presence of the IT sector through its many established companies in the country – which has become the top 3 provider of employment to Filipinos contributing a lot to the country’s Gross National Product (GNP).

"Opportunities are very big in Information Technology, and we are very grateful to the assistance of our stakeholders," Cadena said, addressing IT students and faculty members of Aklan's various colleges and university who attended the opening program.

Cadena said kicking off the celebration of IT Week in Aklan could bring other positive developments in the province – like bringing in IT companies in Aklan so that IT-savvy Aklanons need not go anymore to other places to work, thus, "reversing the brain drain".

For his part, Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez, who delivered an inspirational message, emphasized the advantages of information technology in government service, citing the ease the province now experiences in revenue collection when the provincial government started computerizing real estate collections, and in running the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital through a computerized system.

Marquez also cited the DTI and the colleges and university campuses of Aklan State University (ASU) for organizing KAITE which he said could be good for the stakeholders and the province in general.

After his message, he inducted the officers and Board of Directors of KAITE.

A Jobs Fair for BPO Recruitment for TRANSCOM and Teletech followed after the opening program.

Other activities for the IT celebration include Alternative Classes for IT students and faculty provided by SMART and DepEd respectively, and inter-school competition on hardware servicing, digital arts, web page design and quiz bowl on November 16 at the Learning Resource Center of the Kalibo Pilot Elementary School. (JCM/VGV PIA 6 Aklan)


Diosdado Cadena Jr.