One of the greatest disasters of all times that rocked the entire United States, nay, the entire world, was the 9/11 terrorist attack…. In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attack, it became clear terrorism is a threat that could cripple even a giant like the US…
At this point, what we have are a lot of what-if scenarios---- the foremost on my mind is…what if they had better ICT which aimed mainly to prevent and fight terrorism? Would that have made a difference? In more succinct terms, is that even possible? Apparently, the US thinks so.
Over the past couple of years, the US has initiated an extensive overhaul of IT management. Part of its strategy entailed the development of the Sentinel, an ambitious electronic information-management system designed to help the FBI because they feel that (and I agree wholeheartedly) lag time in communication was not acceptable.
One day perhaps our ICT structure and know-how in the Philippines can match or at least be on at least a comparable level with that of the US… I’ll bet the Abu Sayyaf and NPAs and other would-be terrorists would be quaking in their combat boots…hurrah!!!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Harvesting ICT for our Filipino farmers
ICT may prove to be the richest fertilizer to the country’s rich agricultural resources. Useful information and know-how may be deployed to farmers providing them with crucial weather updates, crop recommendations, “doctor” query for crop diseases and other relevant information.
This is not my original idea, mind you... I’ve recently read an article on how ICT was harnessed for farmers in India which got me to thinking that, yes, perhaps ICT is valuable to our down-to-earth farmers… THE AAQUA WEB SITE (aAqua stands for "Almost All Questions Answered", cool di ba?)--- this site contains several forums in Indian languages (Marathi and Hindi, currently) and in English. These forums deal with crops, animals, officials' recommendations, market information and schemes for farmers. aAqua has been configured to work with MySQL, with Unicode support and is built with mvnForum, a FLOSS-based discussion forum application.
(Go to http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8938 for the complete article)
Personally, I think this innovation may lead to a better harvest for our Filipino farmers…. imagine having information when you need it… when is it best to plant kamote… or why do my rootcrops have spots… and so on and so forth… there is limitless possibilities to such a device…. But then again, the level of poverty in the country leaves so much to be desired and perhaps now is the right time to invest in “toys” so to speak…
in any case, what this shout-out really advocates is the need to at least take it into consideration,,, ICT development priorities for the country need to be carefully assessed. It cannot be gainsaid that, in view of the high-level recognition of the Digital Divide created by the rapid but uneven expansion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the country, perhaps setting out the road map for the next years to harness the power of ICT for development, especially in rural areas, may prove to be most fruitful...
This is not my original idea, mind you... I’ve recently read an article on how ICT was harnessed for farmers in India which got me to thinking that, yes, perhaps ICT is valuable to our down-to-earth farmers… THE AAQUA WEB SITE (aAqua stands for "Almost All Questions Answered", cool di ba?)--- this site contains several forums in Indian languages (Marathi and Hindi, currently) and in English. These forums deal with crops, animals, officials' recommendations, market information and schemes for farmers. aAqua has been configured to work with MySQL, with Unicode support and is built with mvnForum, a FLOSS-based discussion forum application.
(Go to http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8938 for the complete article)
Personally, I think this innovation may lead to a better harvest for our Filipino farmers…. imagine having information when you need it… when is it best to plant kamote… or why do my rootcrops have spots… and so on and so forth… there is limitless possibilities to such a device…. But then again, the level of poverty in the country leaves so much to be desired and perhaps now is the right time to invest in “toys” so to speak…
in any case, what this shout-out really advocates is the need to at least take it into consideration,,, ICT development priorities for the country need to be carefully assessed. It cannot be gainsaid that, in view of the high-level recognition of the Digital Divide created by the rapid but uneven expansion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the country, perhaps setting out the road map for the next years to harness the power of ICT for development, especially in rural areas, may prove to be most fruitful...
typewriters and e-government
With the changes in technology, our government has been making steps towards using these developments in everyday transactions. For example, there is now the e-government which aims to use the internet in not just providing for services but also in empowering people. This new information is a relief. The question is, will every department of the government be able to cope with the changes?
The Supreme Court, the highest court of the land, handles every imaginable case there is. With Filipinos having high regard for the judiciary, it is no wonder that people want their disputes settled by the courts. With e-government already at hand, several technologies must be updated before this new “people oriented” move can be fully utilized.
The Supreme Court spends billions each year on computers and gadgets. With more than a hundred branches of the Regional Trial Court and another hundred of Metropolitan Trial Courts under the Supreme Court, this is still insufficient. Not all stenographers have computers, a basic tool for their work. Some buy their own desktops and printers so that they need not line up to use the available computer. Although the courts are provided with Lex Libris, not all use it. In Metro Manila alone, it was only recently that internet connections are provided for some of the courts.
What is most frustrating is our courts’ lack of efficient docketing system. I am not a techie but I think a good enough program for the courts’ database is easy to understand and use. Like the OPAC of the libraries, these programs can replace the index cards and dockets that pile up every year. The present situation is frustrating because a computer can do the work in less time and effort with much more information to be stored than a 3x5 card. Plus, it will be easier to manage and share with other offices.
With the government’s move towards being technical and high-tech, the judiciary seems to be lagging behind. With docket books and index cabinets full of cases as far back as 1950, it is not a wonder that typewriters are still well-loved.
The Supreme Court, the highest court of the land, handles every imaginable case there is. With Filipinos having high regard for the judiciary, it is no wonder that people want their disputes settled by the courts. With e-government already at hand, several technologies must be updated before this new “people oriented” move can be fully utilized.
The Supreme Court spends billions each year on computers and gadgets. With more than a hundred branches of the Regional Trial Court and another hundred of Metropolitan Trial Courts under the Supreme Court, this is still insufficient. Not all stenographers have computers, a basic tool for their work. Some buy their own desktops and printers so that they need not line up to use the available computer. Although the courts are provided with Lex Libris, not all use it. In Metro Manila alone, it was only recently that internet connections are provided for some of the courts.
What is most frustrating is our courts’ lack of efficient docketing system. I am not a techie but I think a good enough program for the courts’ database is easy to understand and use. Like the OPAC of the libraries, these programs can replace the index cards and dockets that pile up every year. The present situation is frustrating because a computer can do the work in less time and effort with much more information to be stored than a 3x5 card. Plus, it will be easier to manage and share with other offices.
With the government’s move towards being technical and high-tech, the judiciary seems to be lagging behind. With docket books and index cabinets full of cases as far back as 1950, it is not a wonder that typewriters are still well-loved.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
U.P. and Others?
“Digital divide” was a term I was not acquainted with until it was discussed in class. For someone who dreams to be an advocate of the less fortunate, it was a shame to be in the dark about this new rich-versus-poor paradigm. Now that I think about it, digital divide is really not only between rural and urban or between high-income and low-income classes. It is also about technology priority and those with less priority for technology.
A not-so-young lawyer once commented that present law students are quite lucky. We have laptops so that we need not read the cases from the voluminous books and worry about calluses from taking down notes. We have the Lex Libris so that all we need to do is search for the case with a click of a button. And we have the Internet so that we need not travel high and low for researching.
Sadly though, not all law schools are equipped with what we have in Malcolm Hall. Some libraries do not even have enough books for the students to use as references much more a high-tech one to provide access to data.
With the addition of the wi-fi (although still at a limited coverage), the UP College of Law is really something one would be proud of.
Looking at the bigger picture, with only a hundred or so applicants admitted in the college, the remaining aspiring lawyers-to-be are left with no choice but to enter other schools. Luckily, some schools provide adequate resources for the students. But most, especially those in the provinces, do not. Even some known schools in Metro Manila do not provide for enough research materials for the students.
The Internet, although a big help, is also not that accessible for some law students. For the rich law schools, this is not a problem. Most of these students have connections in their own homes or use their laptops to connect while sipping their favorite espresso. A big number still have to rent computers and print or save what they need.
Among the sixty or so law schools in the country, only less than 1/3 have their own websites. Some schools do not have Lex Libris; even some do not have complete volumes of SCRA. For a prestigious course that is known to have high tuition fees, law is really not that far from what is happening in the real world. Digital divide is not just a phenomenon in urban and rural places but among law students as well.
I refuse to blame lack of funds for this lack of technology in these schools. For tuition fees as high as twenty thousand pesos a semester, law schools should give priority to providing their students materials in studying. Like some things in this country, priorities are screwed.
A not-so-young lawyer once commented that present law students are quite lucky. We have laptops so that we need not read the cases from the voluminous books and worry about calluses from taking down notes. We have the Lex Libris so that all we need to do is search for the case with a click of a button. And we have the Internet so that we need not travel high and low for researching.
Sadly though, not all law schools are equipped with what we have in Malcolm Hall. Some libraries do not even have enough books for the students to use as references much more a high-tech one to provide access to data.
With the addition of the wi-fi (although still at a limited coverage), the UP College of Law is really something one would be proud of.
Looking at the bigger picture, with only a hundred or so applicants admitted in the college, the remaining aspiring lawyers-to-be are left with no choice but to enter other schools. Luckily, some schools provide adequate resources for the students. But most, especially those in the provinces, do not. Even some known schools in Metro Manila do not provide for enough research materials for the students.
The Internet, although a big help, is also not that accessible for some law students. For the rich law schools, this is not a problem. Most of these students have connections in their own homes or use their laptops to connect while sipping their favorite espresso. A big number still have to rent computers and print or save what they need.
Among the sixty or so law schools in the country, only less than 1/3 have their own websites. Some schools do not have Lex Libris; even some do not have complete volumes of SCRA. For a prestigious course that is known to have high tuition fees, law is really not that far from what is happening in the real world. Digital divide is not just a phenomenon in urban and rural places but among law students as well.
I refuse to blame lack of funds for this lack of technology in these schools. For tuition fees as high as twenty thousand pesos a semester, law schools should give priority to providing their students materials in studying. Like some things in this country, priorities are screwed.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
hook, line and sinker
We’ve previously posted an entry on chain letters, hexes and whatnots proliferating over the net. As if by some divine intervention, our Lotus Notes Administrator at the office issued out a memorandum warning us of this scam over the internet.
Have you ever heard of "phishing"? A lot of techy- computer savvy people might be saying "huli ka na sa balita", but I find it too alarming not to pass on for people less techy than, or more or less on the same footing as, me.
Phishing is one of the fastest growing online scams. The perpetrator sends out legitimate-looking emails appearing to be coming some big sites including such as Citibank, eBay, Yahoo, etc. What happens is, the phisher’s mail directs you to a Web page which appears to be legitimate, but actually just elicit sensitive information from you, such as passwords and other personal information.
Let’s take for example an email that tells you that your account has been deactivated due to some problem and informs you to reactivate your account by clicking on a link. This technique works quite well, because, appearing legitimate, you can’t help but be alarmed… According to my friend, it helps to remember though that legitimate companies don’t ask for personal or financial information via email…
So, let’s all be smart…. Or at least pretend to be…. THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK!
**********
Have you ever heard of "phishing"? A lot of techy- computer savvy people might be saying "huli ka na sa balita", but I find it too alarming not to pass on for people less techy than, or more or less on the same footing as, me.
Phishing is one of the fastest growing online scams. The perpetrator sends out legitimate-looking emails appearing to be coming some big sites including such as Citibank, eBay, Yahoo, etc. What happens is, the phisher’s mail directs you to a Web page which appears to be legitimate, but actually just elicit sensitive information from you, such as passwords and other personal information.
Let’s take for example an email that tells you that your account has been deactivated due to some problem and informs you to reactivate your account by clicking on a link. This technique works quite well, because, appearing legitimate, you can’t help but be alarmed… According to my friend, it helps to remember though that legitimate companies don’t ask for personal or financial information via email…
So, let’s all be smart…. Or at least pretend to be…. THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK!
**********
Saturday, February 17, 2007
getting aboard the call center express
having friends and relatives who work for call centers have made me open to the idea of also working in such job. they say it offers good pay, nice facilities for the staff and, hey, you could do other worthwhile stuff during the day (talk about multi-tasking).
what kept me from really trying to jump on the call center bandwagon is the fact that I wanted to use what i learned in college. i mean, i always thought that the only down side in working in call centers is that the brilliant minds of Filipinos are not put to good use.
reading the article on how it also affects the workers in the US, my first reaction was that they are just bitter. now that we can compete, after the years they enjoyed being on top, they can't complain if companies find it better to outsource to the Philippines.
but, going back to the down side, aren't Filipinos being shortchanged?
what kept me from really trying to jump on the call center bandwagon is the fact that I wanted to use what i learned in college. i mean, i always thought that the only down side in working in call centers is that the brilliant minds of Filipinos are not put to good use.
reading the article on how it also affects the workers in the US, my first reaction was that they are just bitter. now that we can compete, after the years they enjoyed being on top, they can't complain if companies find it better to outsource to the Philippines.
but, going back to the down side, aren't Filipinos being shortchanged?
thumbmarks
new technology never ceases to amaze me. as much as one try to keep up with the developments, it simply cannot be done. for example, a person will spend a whole day sorting through whatever new information is posted on the net. and each new information is linked to other information. that's one person for every other person keeping him/her up to date. ironically, he will never be up to date because of the bulk every other people send him.
even the fastest way of transferring information cannot fully provide one with everything. take our country, we are already trying to keep up with everything changing globally yet it will never be enough.
let's start some few years back. i remember that as a child, i wondered why people get their fingers dirty with ink whenever they sign something. i immitated putting thumbmarks on paper while i play "opisopisan". that was about 20 years ago and yet we still don't have a database of thumbmarks in the country. the NBI still refers to the Courts criminal history of people who apply for clearances. we still do the matching type which means one needs two fingerprints to compare.
fast track to the present. criminals have become more imaginative and technology is harder to keep up with. whenever i watch episodes of crime investigation series, i get carried away by the technology they use. at the back of my mind though, i know i will never be able to see them used in our country--- well not in the near future anyway. that' why i remind myself that these shows are only fictional. yet the way they present their investigations are so logical and the technology they use really makes sense. so i blame the government for not funding our technology well.
the article of the canadian child rescued through a plea on the net was really simple. yet if that were to happen in the country, can we rescue the victim?
even the fastest way of transferring information cannot fully provide one with everything. take our country, we are already trying to keep up with everything changing globally yet it will never be enough.
let's start some few years back. i remember that as a child, i wondered why people get their fingers dirty with ink whenever they sign something. i immitated putting thumbmarks on paper while i play "opisopisan". that was about 20 years ago and yet we still don't have a database of thumbmarks in the country. the NBI still refers to the Courts criminal history of people who apply for clearances. we still do the matching type which means one needs two fingerprints to compare.
fast track to the present. criminals have become more imaginative and technology is harder to keep up with. whenever i watch episodes of crime investigation series, i get carried away by the technology they use. at the back of my mind though, i know i will never be able to see them used in our country--- well not in the near future anyway. that' why i remind myself that these shows are only fictional. yet the way they present their investigations are so logical and the technology they use really makes sense. so i blame the government for not funding our technology well.
the article of the canadian child rescued through a plea on the net was really simple. yet if that were to happen in the country, can we rescue the victim?
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