Around 200, participated in the 7th MindaCon hosted by GenSantos

Twelve sessions were successfully discussed in the recently concluded, 7th Mindanao ICT Cluster Conference or MindaCon held in the Grand Summit Hotel in General Santos City in November 3-4 2022.

Around 200 participants took part in the one and a half-day event hosted by the City. Executive Assistant III Francis Canlas Officially opened the conference by delivering the message on behalf of the City Mayor of GenSan, Lorelie Geronimo Pacquiao.

The conference's subject is, “E-Commerce: Advancing Enterprise Development in the Digital Economy.” Some of the major topics were: a) E-commerce: role in changing local economy, b) maximizing GIS apps in PH agriculture and e-commerce sector, c) local innovation initiatives for e-commerce, d) e-commerce in the agri-business industry (modernizing agriculture through e-commerce), and e) blockchain in the e-commerce space were shared to the participants. Also, included in the sessions were about cybersecurity, digital innovations in E-commerce, and improving connectivity, cybersecurity, and gender and development in Mindanao discussed by John Garrity, the Chief of Party of USAID Philippines Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON).

Various local government officials from Mindanao, representatives from the Department of Information Technology (DICT Mindanao), partners, members of the commercial sector, and some academics attended the conference. DICT Undersecretary for ICT Industry Devt, Atty. Jocelle E. Batapa-Sigue, Dr. Mary Joy Abueg, President of NICP, Director Emmy Lou Delfin of ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB), Assistant Secretary Mary Jean T. Pacheco for Digital Philippines and ECommerce Lead of DTI, Dir. Maria Teresa M. Camba, Asst. Secretary for Regional Development of DICT, Dir. Alimbzar P. Asum, Regional Director of DICT Region XII and Mainland BARMM, and among others, provided the updates on ICT-related programs.

Councilor Ric Atendido, the Sanggunian Panlungsod ICT Committee Chair, delivered the closing remarks to conclude the conference.

The event successfully ended, with its objectives to create a Progressive and Transformative community driving its innovation and opportunities in economic growth. FC/MGP