Pushing IT

       It is not easy to push new ideas and new ways of doing things.

     The launching last March 10 of the new EVISNet Website and related concerns is an example of how difficult it is to promote an idea.

     And what was that idea?

     EVISNet, as a project of NEDA and DOST, is trying to convince state universities and colleges to band together, plan together, and move in one direction – promote information technology (IT) as a tool for providing quality education.

     That was not the only idea promoted last Monday. Along with it were ideas on how local government units can use information technology in providing government services (e.g. permits, telemedicine, taxation, etc.) at the barangay level, beyond mere purchasing of computers.

     Corollary ideas were those on the latest equipment needed to speed up data transfer and information exchange.

      From the talks of the invited speakers from companies based in Cebu, it was apparent that many other regions in the country have far better IT use than we have.

     A forum such as the one held last Monday represent the little strokes of the “pushing” that has to be done in Eastern Visayas. We need to look at the big picture, how these organizational units of the government can work together in partnership with the private sector.

     Even affordability is slowly becoming a non-issue. IT need not be out of reach financially if we search for low-cost and affordable solutions.

     Consistency of effort is also a key strategy. EVISNet is in a position to do this as a project assisted by different government agencies. A quarterly technology update will be held to make sure we know the latest hardware and software relevant to our situation and needs.

     While agriculture and industry will continue to be mainstays of our economy, services such as those in IT is growing much faster. This is where the efforts at EVISNet will have a major impact.