Jonathan Defensor De Luzuriaga, president of the Philippine Software Industry Association, shares his knowledge on FIRe and its relevance on the pandemic.
Jonathan Defensor De Luzuriaga, president of the Philippine Software Industry Association, shares his knowledge on FIRe and its relevance on the pandemic.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Western Visayas conducted a regional forum to familiarize its employees on the various platforms to embrace the transition to the new normal for all sectors by means of innovation and technology to adapt to the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The activity entitled, “Regional Forum on Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe) for the New Business Environment,” promotes strategies of business improvement to people, processes and tools.

The event ran from July 30 to August 4, 2020 which tackled topics on the FIRe and its relevance to the pandemic, and the application of FIRe to DTI-VI work environment, among others.

The activity aimed to promote creativity and innovation through emerging technologies brought by the industry in this challenging time and adjusting to the new normal. The three-day event discussed new business environment, technological issues and challenges faced by industry core players. It also intends to assist the employees to upskill and reskill their capacities in order to provide quality technical assistance to industries and MSMEs.

DTI VI Regional Director Rebecca M. Rascon joins the activity.
DTI VI Regional Director Rebecca M. Rascon joins the activity.

The event tackled the transformation from traditional to digital geared towards providing potential solutions in the challenges that the world is facing; and urging industries to rethink their fundamental business model or place in the value chain, enabling shifting of processes to digital format to get off the ground due to the digital trends.

DTI-VI Regional Director Rebecca Rascon said that the agency continues to pursue its industrial strategies which focuses on building competitiveness and strengthening MSMEs’ linkages and businesses in the global and domestic value chains.

“This is the first innovation-related activity of DTI-Region VI that is initiated to reinforce and improve the knowledge of our internal workforce to properly address the needs of our clients using innovation and technology,” Rascon said.

Philippine Software Industry Association President Jonathan Defensor De Luzuriaga is the resource person. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Spring Valley, the largest technology and innovation network in the Philippines

The activity was held at the DTI Region VI to a limited number of employees from the Regional Office and DTI Iloilo Provincial Office strictly observing social distancing and wearing of face masks. Provincial offices and selected MSMEs joined the activity through Zoom. ♦

Date of Release: 7 August 2020