Silicon Gulf

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Silicon Gulf seal Silicongulflogo.png
Silicon Gulf seal

Silicon Gulf is a nickname for Davao City that extends to the Davao Region in Mindanao, Philippines. The nickname refers to the growing number of information technology and IT enabled services (ITES) companies sprouting in the area. The name was adapted from Silicon Valley, referring to the high tech cluster in the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California.

Davao Region is one of the regions of the Philippines, on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. Davao Region consists of four provinces — Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental. The region encloses the Davao Gulf and its regional center is Davao City.

Silicon Gulf is part of the Philippine Cyber Corridor.

Origin

The Silicon Gulf Initiative was officially announced on October 6, 2006, by Reuters Digital Vision Program fellow Jason Banico, who coined the nickname, during the ICT Davao, Inc. launch at the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City. Aimed at addressing the region's Brain drain problem, the initiative emphasized radical collaboration between government, academia and industry in harnessing technical talent and information-oriented manpower as the key driving force in transforming the city from an agricultural/industrial economy to a knowledge-based one.

The primary objective of the Silicon Gulf Initiative is to build Davao City's information and communications technology (ICT) capacity through developing talent in the areas of "technopreneurship", IT project management, and core technical skills.

Silicon Gulf cyberparks

ICT-BPO facilities [1]

Damosa IT Park

The ICT park zone being developed by Damosa Land Incorporated is composed of 22,983 square meters (about 300,000 sq ft) of land along J.P. Laurel Avenue which would accommodate two information technology buildings; data building; commercial and a utility building that with an unlimited power supply.

The primary stage of development involves the establishment of the ICT building covering some 1,326 square meters (about 15,500 sq ft) of land along J.P. Laurel Avenue. Ricardo Floirendo, Damosa Land Inc. is a local counterpart of the Ayalas in Davao.

Based on their plans, the IT building would be installed with high-speed fiber-optic telecommunication backbone and high-speed international gateway facility or wide-area network.

Landco Corporate Center

Landco Corporate Centre is along JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City. Among its amenities and facilities is a global integrated communication system (GICS) with structured cabling system for multi-media applications.

It installed the first building management system (BMS) in Mindanao which monitors and controls the elevators, the fuel and water pumps, and the main entry. The building features sophisticated fire safety and security systems, three high-speed elevators, a grand lobby and hallways.

Davao City

Given its potentials to become a “center of excellence” in information communications and technology (ICT), Davao City is declared as an IT HUB area in the Philippines by the National Telecommunications Office per memorandum # 05-05-200.

A study made in 2002 by the Asian Institute of Management through a project called the Philippine Cities Competitiveness Program revealed that the city is the most competitive city in the Philippines (Metro Cities Category) with the lowest cost of doing business. [3]

Moreover, using a scorecard developed by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), Davao City ranks high as an attractive ICT investment location in the country.

In the area of workforce potential, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) XI reported that as of January 2005 out of 76 colleges and universities in the region, Davao City has 42, three of which belonging to the Top 20 in the country: Ateneo de Davao University, University of the Immaculate Conception and University of Mindanao.

About 14 colleges and universities in the region were granted the PAASCU, PACUCOA, and AACUP accreditations, assuring that quality graduates are produced each year.

Moreover, a total of 15,731 graduates were recorded for the school year 2004-2005 with the following top courses: Education (2,715 graduates), Commerce (2,707 graduates) and Nursing (2,241 graduates).

In the area of telecommunications infrastructure, Davao City has available high-speed digital subscribers lines (DSLs) that can support 24x7 operations. The presence of major telecommunications companies, i.e., Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, BayanTel, Globe Telecom, Digitel, Meridian Telekoms, Inc. and PT&T can provide such services from fiber-optic links, wireless broadband, to simple and triple redundancy.

In real estate, Davao City has huge open spaces that can be developed into an IT park or building. There are five major hotels and more than 10 business inns.

In vendor support, large vendors in Manila and Cebu are now in Davao City to cater the requirements of local companies in hardware and software: GlobalChips Technologies, Co; Trinet Multimedia Systems Corporation; Micro-D International, etc.

In power infrastructure, Davao City has the most stable power supply and one the cheapest rates in the country. Its power utility company, the Davao Light and Power Company has a backup power supply of 44 MW at its Bajada Power Plant. In the last five years, there was no recorded incidence of massive power shortage and blackouts.

In transportation, a total of 189,621 motor vehicles in the region were registered in the Land Transportation Office (LTO) XI in 2005 distributed as follows: motorcycles & tricycles - 109,142; Utility vehicles - 44,118; Taxi/Cars - 18,983; Trucks – 11,310; Sports Utility Vehicles – 4,045; Trailers – 1,265 and Buses – 758. Davao City and nearby provinces have more than 2,000 aircon/non-aircon taxi units equipped with 2-way radio system running 24 hours a day.

In local incentives, Davao City is the first local government unit in Mindanao to provide incentives to investors in the city.

For quality of life, Davao City was adjudged as the most liveable city in the Philippines and included in the Top 20 in Asia.[ when? ]

Associations/organizations

Silicon Gulf has a number of ICT organizations, and they all are under an umbrella organization, ICT Davao.

ICT Davao Incorporated, also known as ICT Davao and IDI, is the umbrella organization of all information and communication technology groups hosted by Davao City.

With the assistance of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the ICT Council of Davao was born in 2002 to champion the needs of the industry. It adopted its new name ICT Davao in 2006 and has revitalized its membership which now includes the ICT educational and technical training institutions, the sub-sector association of IT-enabled and BPO services such as contact centers, transcription providers, FOSS users, IT software and hardware vendors, i-Café operators and inventors.

Universities and colleges

Companies

IT-enabled services and training

Related Research Articles

Davao Gulf bay

Davao Gulf is a gulf situated in the southeastern portion of Mindanao in the Philippines. It has an area of 308,000 hectares. Davao Gulf cuts into the island of Mindanao from Philippine Sea. It is surrounded by all five provinces in the Davao Region. The largest island in the gulf is Samal Island. Davao City, on the gulf's west coast, is the largest and busiest port on the gulf. The Bagobo, a tribe known in Davao, are living in the Davao Gulf. With the thrust of Davao City towards information technology and it-enabled services (ITES), Davao City and the Davao Gulf area have also earned the moniker Silicon Gulf.

Davao Region Administrative region of the Philippines

Davao Region, formerly called Southern Mindanao, is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region XI. It is situated at the southeastern portion of Mindanao, comprising five provinces: Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao Occidental.

Davao Oriental Province in Davao Region, Philippines

Davao Oriental is a province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Mati, and it borders the province of Davao de Oro to the west, and Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur to the north. The province is the traditional homeland of the Mandaya and Kagan people.

Soccsksargen Administrative region of the Philippines

Soccsksargen, formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, located in south-central Mindanao. It is numerically designated as Region XII. The name is an acronym that stands for the region's four provinces and 1 city. The regional center is in Koronadal located in the province of South Cotabato, and the center of commerce and industry is General Santos, which is the most populous city in the Region.

Acronyms and Portmanteau are popular in the Philippines. They are widely used in different sectors of Philippine society. Often, due to long full names of the institutions in the Philippines, acronyms are then utilized to shorten the name of an institution or a company in the country, making it more convenient to the majority of the Philippine population, but sometimes causing ambiguity.

Digos Component City in Davao Region, Philippines

Digos, officially the City of Digos,, or simply referred to as Digos City, is a 2nd class city and capital of the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 169,393 people.

Davao City highly-urbanized city in Davao Region, Philippines

Davao City, officially the City of Davao, is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the island of Mindanao, Philippines. The city has a total land area of 2,443.61 km2 (943.48 sq mi), making it the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land area. It is the third-most populous city in the Philippines after Quezon City and Manila, the most populous city in the country outside Metro Manila, and the most populous in Mindanao. As of the 2015 census the city had a population of 1,632,991.

Panabo Component City in Davao Region, Philippines

Panabo, officially the City of Panabo, or simply referred to as Panabo City is a 3rd class city in the province of Davao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 184,599 people.

Tagum Component City in Davao Region, Philippines

Tagum, officially the City of Tagum,, or simply referred to as Tagum City, is a 1st class city and capital of the Davao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 259,444 people making it the most populous component city in Mindanao.

Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte Municipality in Davao Region, Philippines

Santo Tomas, officially the Municipality of Santo Tomas, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Davao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 118,750 people.

Sulop, Davao del Sur Municipality in Davao Region, Philippines

Sulop, officially the Municipality of Sulop, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 33,613 people.

Mati, Davao Oriental Component City in Davao Region, Philippines

Mati, officially the City of Mati and also referred to as Mati City, is a 5th class city and the capital of the province of Davao Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 141,141 people.

Business process outsourcing in the Philippines

One of the most dynamic and fastest growing sectors in the Philippines is the information technology–business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry. The industry is composed of eight sub-sectors, namely, knowledge process outsourcing and back offices, animation, call centers, software development, game development, engineering design, and medical transcription. The IT-BPO industry plays a major role in the country's growth and development.

University of Mindanao UM

The University of Mindanao is the largest private, non-sectarian university in Mindanao located in Davao City on the Southern Philippine island. Established in 1946, the University of Mindanao has ten branches spread over thirteen campuses in Southern Mindanao. It is currently an Autonomous Status per CEB Resolution No. 076-2009 with Category A (t) per CMO No. s. 2009 standing accredited by Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Its Accountancy, Computer Engineering and Information Technology programs are Centers of Development(COD) and its Business Administration, Criminology and Teacher Education programs are recognized as Centers of Excellence(COE) by CHED. It is the largest private university in Mindanao and hailed as the institution with the second highest number of programs accredited by PACUCOA in the country today.

The Philippine Cyberservices Corridor is a plan that is being pursued by the government of the Philippines to create interconnected centers of technology-related services, that are spread out all over the country. Services include business process outsourcing, medical transcription, outsourcing of animation, and the like. It is part of the ten-point agenda of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and is one of the five "super-regions" outlined in her 2006 State of the Nation Address.

University of Southeastern Philippines

The University of Southeastern Philippines and is a state research university based in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. Founded on December 15, 1978, the university is an integration of four state institutions: Mindanao State University-Davao, the University of the Philippines-Master of Management Program in Davao, the Davao School of Arts and Trades, and the Davao National Regional Agricultural School. It was the first state university in Davao Region.

Abreeza Shopping mall in the Philippines

Abreeza Mall is a large shopping mall complex located at J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada in Davao City, Philippines. It is the first Ayala Shopping Center located in Mindanao. It opened on May 12, 2011. It is owned by Accendo Commercial Corporation, a joint venture company of Ayala Land and Anflocor.

DXUR, currently branded as Halo Halo 97.1, is a music FM radio station owned by Viva Live, Inc. in the Philippines. The station's studio is located at Unit 49, 4th floor of Landco Corporate Center Bldg., J.P. Laurel Avenue Bajada 8000 Davao City and its transmitter located at JP Laurel Ave., Bajada, Davao City. It is the second FM station of the Del Rosario's Viva group, and the first in the Mindanao region.

SM Lanang Premier Shopping mall in Davao City, Philippines

SM Lanang Premier, also known locally as SM Lanang, is an indoor four-story shopping mall in Lanang, Davao City, Philippines along Jose P. Laurel Avenue and within S.P Dakudao loop. It is the first SM Supermall to be called "Premier". The mall is owned by Henry Sy, Sr. and managed by SM Prime Holdings. Construction of the mall started in 2011 and opened to the public on September 28, 2012, on the site of the former Lanang Golf and Country Club.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=davao-hopes-to-expand-software-dev&8217t-other-non-voice-segments&id=102058
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-05-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ "Davao Awards and Citations". 2009-04-07.
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