Bridging the OFW digital divide

Business World
June 29, 2005

Bridging the OFW digital divide

Literally, some 2,000 Filipino workers leave the country for different places each day.

Microsoft Philipppines Inc., the local subsidiary of the world’s largest software company, is tryihg to bring some of them home through a computer training program it has launched in partnership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Launched in August last year, the program called Tulay (bridge) has helped bring Filipinos in Singapore and Malaysia to their families and the world at large.

In May, Microsoft Philippines and OWWA formally opened the program with the launch of a computer training center at the government agency’s main office in Pasay City.

The program, according to documents furnished to reporters by OWWA, is for members of families of OFWs so they can keep in touch with their relatives working abroad. Likewise, the program also caters to potential OFWs who want to learn how to use the computers.

Acting Labor and Employment Secretary Manuel Imson said the program will hopefully “enhance family unity” as well as “equip OFWs with necessary computer/internet skills.”

“We would like this effort to be a global trend for our OFWs, bridge the digital divide and push forward their computers literacy via Philippine overseas labor offices in various OFW host countries,” Mr. Imson said.

This year Microsoft Philippines said it will open the training program for Filipinos in Taiwan, Hongkong and Cebu and for Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, by 2006.

According to the Digital Divide Network http://www.digitalphilippines.org/, the digital divide is “the gap between those who can effectively use new information and communication tools, such as the internet and those who cannot.”

Access to information and communications technology (ICT) remains a factor in a country’s development, the United Nations said in its Global E-Government Readiness Report 2004.

“The enabling environment in many countries is characterized by irregular or non-existent electrical supplies, especially outside large cities, telephone remain luxury items and the internet is available to only a privileged few in the upper-income brackets,” the UN said.

Citing its “access-for-opportunity” model, the UN maintains that physical access to ICT is the first step towards building real access which leads to opportunity.”

Hence, the UN cites an “access-opportunity divide” that is made up of, among other things: income divide, telecommunication access-divide, education and skills access-divide, language access-divide, content access-divide and affordability-divide.

“Exploring the access-divide elements, the access model illustrates that the majority of the developing country population of more than five billion faces a grave challenge from the new technological revolution,” the UN said.

“Whereas some of the developing countries which have in place the right mix of reforms, institutions and programs will no doubt benefit from ICTs [information and communication technologies], most are likely to be mired in a cycle of low income, poverty and a growing disparity in access to modern technology,” it added.

Bridge Access Gaps

The completion of the first phase of Tulay comes at a time when access to ICT remains dismal

According to the UN government e-readiness report, ther are 27.7 personal computers for every 1,000 persons in the country, which is lower than the 191.3 mobile subscribers for every 1,000 Filipinos. The report also cited that while there are 44 internet users for every 1,000 persons in the Philippines.

There are more television sets (173 per 1,000 persons), reflecting a lack of infrastructure to support the internet and online population.

Argentina, which is likened to the country in terms of financial status, has 112 internet users and 82 PCs (personal computers) per 1,000 persons. Its telephone lines run up to 218.8 per 1,000 persons. Nonetheless, only 19.6 for every 1,000 Thais transact online even if telephone lines are at 105 for every 1,000 persons.

The UN study reveals that citizens in countries like the Philippines have not fully tapped the potential of the internet in development. – OFW Consortium, Inc.