CICT and I-Café Pilipinas Hold Round Table Discussion

By: Gener Morada

A round table discussion between officials of the Commission on Information and Communication Technology and the convenors of I-Café Pilipinas was held last December 16, 2009 at the CICT conference room to discuss issues affecting the internet café industry and the initiatives of I-Café Pilipinas for 2010.  Attendees for the CICT were Commissioner Monchito Ibrahim, Cyber Services Group, Commissioner Francisco Perez, Information Infrastructure Group and Director Trish Abejo, Chief of Staff Office of Chairman CICT Secretary Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III.  I-Café Pilipinas was led by its Chair, Mr. Ed Zafra, Mr. Bien Balajadia, President of I-Café Pilipinas, Mr. Arthur Gimena, Convenor I-Café Pilipinas and Mr. Gener Luis Morada, National Advocacy Officer I-Café Pilipinas.

Among the topics that were discussed were the current conditions of the internet café industry in the Philippines and the various initiatives of I-Café Pilipinas that it is organizing for 2010 like the Second Mindanao Internet Café Associations Summit on February 18 and 19, 2010 at SM Davao, Davao City.  Commissioners of the CICT stressed the fact to the convenors of the need for a strong federated internet cafe organization that would act on the various problems that was discussed.  They also expressed their full support to I-Café Pilipinas for its various initiatives and they would further support its various initiatives for 2010 that would bring about the development of the internet café industry in the Philippines.

“We would further our resolve in strengthening our affiliate base so that we would be able to get internet café owners and associations from all over the country,” I-Café Pilipinas Chair Mr. Ed Zafra shared during the discussions.  “We are thankful for the support that is being showed by CICT and we truly believe that through this collaboration the future of the internet café business in this country would be a bright one,” Mr. Zafra added.