DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Computer shops here are no longer just gaming centers but have evolved into one-stop shops for government services and hubs for the public to improve their skill sets that would help them land better jobs.

The change in image of 36 computer shops that are part of the Internet Café Association of Davao (Icad) is owed to the Tech4ED (Technology for Economic Development) program of the Department of Science and Technology’s Information and Communications Technology Office (Icto).

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Launched in 2014, Tech4ED is an online platform that aims “to harness ICT to enable, empower and transform society toward creating an inclusive, integrated and equitable countryside.”

It consolidates such services as skills training, digital literacy, values formation and government applications under one program.

Friday’s recognition of the computer shops as Tech4ED centers was the first in a partnership with the business sector, as part of Icto’s effort to further “create a Philippines where everyone is given equal opportunities.”

Game changer

Alexis Bangayan, Icad president, said members of his group worked on partnering with Icto for this program not only because there’s a growing number of Internet users in the country but because they want the public to look at them as more than just gaming hubs.

He noted that this partnership had been in the works months before Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte won the presidential election.

“This is really a game changer because there’s more to us now than just being a place where one could play games or surf the Internet. Now we have become more service oriented,” Bangayan said.

Bettina Quimson, Icto deputy executive director for eSociety, said that under Tech4ED’s eEduSkills platform, the approximately 90,000 combined monthly customers of Icad will be given opportunity, at time most convenient to them, to improve their communication skills that would help them land better-paying jobs.

She said that out-of-school youth would also be able to continue their studies and learn a few skills since the platform also hosts the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System and a number of training modules from the Technical Education Skills Development Authority.

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However, the platform has yet to have a function where its users can have themselves certified. Quimson said they are working on adding this feature, in partnership with the agencies concerned.

Alternative form of employment

With Tech4ED’s features, Quimson said they are aiming to build a number of careers for the public but are “definitely promoting home-based” jobs since it is an alternative form of employment. Currently, over a million users are under this category.

In partnership with business organizations such as GoNegosyo and Western Union, the platform also has guides for financial literacy, and career and business development.

For as low as P8 per hour, users can also avail themselves of the various government services, such as applying for certificates from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Statistics Authority. Quimson clarified that the fee is not for the Tech4ED platform but for the use of the shop’s computers.

She said that while there are existing government portals where one can file a request for certificates, Tech4ED consolidates these to make it easier for those who are not as tech savvy to browse through.

To date, 197 Tech4ED centers have been set up by Icto in barangays, libraries and public schools nationwide./rga

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