By Perla G. Lena
TACLOBAN CITY, Oct 10 (PNA) — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will now include in its package of investment promotion the province of Leyte as a destination for information and communication technology (ICT) investors.
Regional director Cynthia Nierras said that they no longer have to wait for three to five years to be able to promote the province as possible relocation for ICT companies. She disclosed though that after typhoon Yolanda, many though that it would take that long for them to be able to invite locators to Leyte.
She admitted that ICT is one sector that needs a lot of infrastructure support such as communication and power. However, the environment in Leyte was able to recover after less than a year and is now prepared to house an ICT company.
The reopening of the Freight Process Outsourcing Solutions, Inc. (FPOSI) on Wednesday at the Leyte Mikyu Economic Zone in Palo’s Pawing village was a manifestation that the province is now ready for ICT.
“DTI for one will do its part; we will include ICT in our investment promotion package,” she said.
The area where the FPOSI is located, spanning 21 hectares, is accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).
Nierras said that the Leyte Mikyu Economic Zone has a great potential thus they will help in its promotion for more ICT companies to relocate.
She added that there are challenges but it will just form part of their aid to the early recovery of Leyte and Eastern Visayas.
“We hope that they will consider Leyte as their location,” she expressed.
Aside from ICT companies, other service companies are expected to rise in the area to provide for the needs of ICT workers.
“This shows that we are on our way to recovery,” she underscored.
Non-voice firm FPOSI, which is a part of the Direct Data Capture (DDC) Group of Companies, processes the billing invoices of trucking companies in the United States.
Amid being severely damaged by Yolanda it decided to reopen in Leyte as its way of helping Leyteῆos recover from the devastations they incurred after the typhoon. (PNA)