Digital enablement is people empowerment

November 28, 2022

Digital enablement is people empowerment

CitizenWatch Philippines calls on the government to collaborate with telcos and educational institutions to work with telcos and educational institutions for a digital enablement strategy for workers and MSMEs.

Enabling Filipino workers and small businesses to adapt in the digital economy is a way of empowering them and preparing them for the future.

In this age of information, digital skills are life skills. Whatever we do in our professional and personal life has a component of basic digital skills – inputting our transaction in the bank, booking a ride through an app, or attending a virtual meeting. Thus, such skills are no longer nice to have, but a must-have, to navigate a digitally-driven economy.

A recent joint survey by the Asian Development Bank and LinkedIn showed that most employers see proficiency with collaboration tools and basic internet skills for commerce as essential workplace skills, and that advanced digital skills such as coding and programming are gaining ground. Statista found a growing demand for IT professionals and that IT executives are among the highest paid in the global economy. And according to the ITU, it is a long-term effort for countries to ensure that their people are employable, productive, creative, and prosperous.

For the Philippines, multi-sectoral collaboration should produce a roadmap on how people and MSMEs can have the required skill sets to compete in a digital economy. People have to have the inclination to learn new skills because technology is changing at a fast pace, and the skills we have today may not be as relevant as they would be five or ten years down the line.

Investments in digital infrastructure will mean nothing if not complemented by investments in digital enablement. Ultimately, end-users of the technology have to have the necessary knowledge, skills, and predisposition to adapt to the changing times.