Policies and Initiatives:
the Philippine Experience
PRESENTED BY: BEATRICE G. QUIMSON
Department of Science and Technology
Information and Communications Technology Office
Prepared by: Ms. Nelia R. De Jesus
Chief, Technical Cooperation Division
National Council on Disability Affairs
Republic of the Philippines
IT Policies and Initiatives: the Philippine
Experience
• Government Information System : IT as a premier tool to
‘’BEAT THE ODDS’’ , but not ‘’inclusive’’
• 2003 – “Manila Design Recommendations and Declaration
towards Accessible ICT”, became the cornerstone of CRPD
Article 9
• 2004 training of 200 webmasters creating the Philippine Web
Accessibility Group (PWAG), commissioned as an online
advocacy group
• 2007 -Joint NCDA-NCC Memo Circular requiring government
agencies’ web accessibility, using set standards
“Nothing about us, without us” spurred leaders with disabilities
as the conscience bloc, towards more ICT Policy breakthroughs:
• A(ward), R(ecognize) A(ccessible) W(ebsites)-ARAW (sun)
incentivizing implementors
• UN-ESCAP’s Citation as among Asia Pacific Region’s best practices
“APCD-NCDA Video “From Why to How:Accessible ICT in the
Philippines”, 2008
• NCDA Board Resolutions 11, 12, 13, respectively a.) adopting
DAISY as standards for education/training materials for persons
with disabilities, b) enjoins government agencies’ hiring of
qualified PWD encoders’; and c) urging compliance of same on
web accessibility
•P.D, 709. attached NCDA to the Office of the President,
and appointed the National Computer Center to lead the
SubCommittee on ICT
• Inclusion of disability in the “Philippine Digital Strategy” (20112016)
• Inclusion of ‘’Accessible Website Award in the prestigious
Presidential Apolinario Mabini Awards (2011)
• Amendment of R.A. 1372 on intellectual property rights, allowing
printing,reproduction /distribution of copyrighted materials
exclusive for persons with visual/print disabilities (2012)
• Marking of “IT Month” with an ‘’IT Job and Skills Fair’’, job match,
shows ICT as empowering tool and work excellence of persons with
disabilities using ICT (2012-present)
Challenges and Next Steps
:
•SMART Advocacy
•Dynamic ‘’Push and Pull’’ strategies
•Amendment of Magna Carta to include
Accessible ICT
•Maximize IT to boost education,work, tourism
opportunities & disaster control
Technology 4 Economic Development
(Tech4ED)
By: Beatrice G. Quimson, eSociety – ICT Office
The ASEAN ICT Masterplan 2015 seeks to achieve:
“INCLUSIVE
Involving all the stakeholders in ASEAN –
government, citizens, and businesses,
developed and developing, rural and
urban, young and old, as well as those
with and without disabilities”
FOUNDATION
PILLARS
Creating the eFILIPINO
SERVICE
Innovate
Education
OPPORTUNITY
GROWTH
SOCIAL
TRANSFORMATION
Enable
Employment
Empower
Entrepreneur
Economic
Evolution
INFRASTRUCTURE
TVWS to
Connect
the Last
mile
SUSTAINABLE MODEL
A “Franchise
Model” for
Maintenance &
Expansion
DELIVERY CHANNEL
Single Shared
Portal for all
Government ePrograms w
Monitoring,
Feedback and
Analytics Engines
Harnessing ICT to Empower and Transform Society
Creating an INCLUSIVE, Integrated, & Equitable Countryside
The Tech4ED Services
eGovServe
eEduSkills
eAssist
mAgri
mMarketplace
eAssess
e - A S S I S T
OBJECTIVES
COMPONENTS
Enabling Women, PWD, OFW, Seniors, Indigenous People, Teachers & Career Shifters with Special
Content
ICT
Literacy
*.Provide
opportunities for
digital inclusion to
marginalized
communities
Life
Long
Learners
Financial
Literacy
*Educate OFWs
and their families
on how to save,
invest, and
spend money
wisely.
*Help teachers
learn teaching
strategies using
technology to
develop 21st
Century Skills
*Develop
competencies
relevant to a
particular Industry
for higher grade
jobs (Career
Shifters)
Business
*Enable SMEs to
use internet as a
tool for expansion