Areas Related to MIS on the 9th SONA of the President

Last July 29, 2009, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had her 9th State of the Nation Address during the 3rd Joint Regular Session of the 14th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines at the Session Hall of the Batasang Pambansa at Quezon City. SONA (State Of the Nation Address) is important because this is the time wherein the president would tackle or discuss to the mass all the achievements which he or she has done. This 2009 was the last SONA of the President Gloria Arroyo in which she commemorate most because this is the last term of her administration.

The 9th State of the Nation Address of President Gloria was attended by many celebrities in the political discipline. Senate President Enrile, Speaker Nograles, Senators, Vice President de Castro, Former President Ramos, Chief Justice Puno, and the other congressmen and ambassadors were present during that SONA. President Gloria M. Arroyo carved up to the crowd what she did last 2008. In her speech, many achievements she shared especially the infrastructures in those remote areas in the country. The million jobs also in which she gave scholarships to the Filipino people in which they can go to some TESDA accredited school to study some vocational qualifications or courses so that after they went to the training, they can have the National Certificates Level II in the discipline of butchering, bartending, computer maintenance and so on.

Mrs. Arroyo also talked about some issues regarding in the field of ICT. To start with:

1.) Sa telecommunications naman, inatasan ko ang Telecommunications Commission na kumilos na tungkol sa mga sumbong na dropped calls at mga nawawalang load sa cellphone. We need to amend the Commonwealth-era Public Service Law. And we need to do it now.

In this first issue, it is so very nkaka-irita that when you have cellphone load worth of 30 pesos then some networks would send you some nonsense messages such in Smart, they will send some promos in which you did not subscribe that promo. It is necessary that NTC should made some actions in which the sumbong of the people will be heard so that this telecommunication companies will know what are their mistakes.

2.) Kung noong nakaraan, lumakas ang electronics, today we are creating wealth by developing the BPO and tourism sectors as additional engines of growth. Electronics and other manufactured exports rise and fall in accordance with the state of the world economy. But BPO remains resilient. With earnings of $6 billion and employment of 600,000, the BPO phenomenon speaks eloquently of our competitiveness and productivity. Let us have a Department of ICT.

This second issue talks about BPO and tourism sectors in which they contributed more to the economy's wealth. It is necessary to have a Department of ICT so that it will oversees to the small and medium BPOs in which it aligns to the field of electronics and other services which is related to ICT to guide and help them in some financial matters and how for them to export more their products. Due to their earnings, all I can say is, let should have a DICT.

3.) In technical education and skills training, we have invested three times that of three previous administrations combined. Narito si Jennifer Silbor, isa sa sampung milyong trainee. Natuto siya ng medical transcription. Now, as an independent contractor and lecturer for transcriptions in Davao, kumikita siya ng P18,000 bawat buwan. Good job, Jennifer.

In this last issue it talks about two fields, these are: the field of education and and the field of ICT. It is good that President Arroyo made some programs in which it helps to the can't afford Filipinos to attend in schools to have some diplomas and certificates after they graduated to their chosen field. The Arroyo administration together with the cooperation of the TESDA (Technical Education Skills and Development Authority) made the Pangulong Gloria Scholarships or PGS in which they can choose any qualifications they want such as computer maintenance, bartending, housekeeping, welding, medical transcriptioning and etc.. Because of these qualifications offered by the PGS, you may work as an independent contractor and lecturer in any ICT related fields. Just like Jennifer Silbor, she finished the qualification of medical transcription in which she is also a scholar of PGS and because of this, she earned almost P18,000 every month. Whew! What a big amount. Well, just like me, I am a scholar of PGS last summer in the qualification of computer maintenance. It it still related in ICT. I passed also my NC II and because of that, I can earn money and at the same time, I am a student. Congratulations to Jennifer and Me. hehehe

SONA is not all about pagmamayabang of the president. These are all the efforts she made even though she was criticized by many people. Well, all I can say is, let's see what will the next president can do better than this president.