COTABATO CITY — To culminate the National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Month celebration in the region, the Bangsamoro Information and Communications Technology Office (BICTO) spearheaded the 1st BARMM ICT Summit on June 29-30.
The summit, held in this city, was attended by ICT professionals from the different ministries and offices of the regional government, and other stakeholders.
According to BICTO Executive Director II Jonathan Mantiyan, the summit’s main objective was to showcase the latest trends and solutions within the IT industry.
“Tangkilikin natin yung mga programa na related sa ICT dahil talaga namang hindi tayo titigil-hahabol tayo sa other regions or the rest of the country, or the rest of the world. Kung ano yung ma-e-enjoy nila ay ma-e-enjoy rin ng Bangsamoro,” Mantikayan said.
He also emphasized that despite any challenges it will encounter, BICTO will continue pursuing its goal to advance ICT in the region.
Meanwhile, in BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim’s video message, he said that the summit signals the regional government’s preparedness and will to embed ICT in providing services to its constituents.
“The world is changing faster than the speed of light. Governments and corporations across the globe are already shifting to digital platforms to ease their day-to-day operations and the overall welfare of their institution’s mandate and vision,” he said.
“The future is within our hands and we are proud to have BICTO and all our IT Officers leading the way,” he added.
Highlight of the summit was the oath taking of the newly elected officers of the Bangsamoro Information and Communications Technology Association (BICTA).
Elected as president was Sami Ysmael Ebrahim from the Office of the Chief Minister’s (OCM) Special Development Fund-Project Management Office (SDF-PMO), Leanabai Sakal-Morales from the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) as vice president for internal affairs, Nhaid Cusain from the Ministry of Health (MOH) as vice president for external affairs, Aeli Ebrahim from BICTO as secretary, Tyrone Luis Agcambot from the Ministry of Human, Settlement and Development (MHSD) as treasurer, and Helmie Salendab from the Ministry of Budget, Finance and Management (MFBM) as auditor.
This year’s National ICT month celebration carried the theme: “Spark, Strengthen, Sustain: Advancing the Bangsamoro digital agenda”. (Myrna Tepadan/BIO)
