Commission on Information and Communications Technology

PHILIPPINE COUNTRY REPORTREGIONAL CONSULTATION ON

LOCAL LANGUAGE COMPUTING POLICY IN DEVELOPING ASIA

Emmanuel C. Lallana, Ph. D. Commissioner

COUNTRY PROFILECOUNTRY PROFILE

•• Philippines is an archipelago situated off Philippines is an archipelago situated off the southeastern coast of the Asia Mainland the southeastern coast of the Asia Mainland –– 1,707 islands, 1,707 islands, –– 110 ethnolinguistic groups110 ethnolinguistic groups

•• 2424thth largest economy (using PPP) by the largest economy (using PPP) by the World Bank in 2004. World Bank in 2004. ••7171stst 2006 Global Competitiveness Index2006 Global Competitiveness Index

PHILIPPINE LANGUAGESPHILIPPINE LANGUAGES

• 175 languages, four (4) of which are extinct languages

• 12 native languages with at least one million native speakers.– Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilokano, Hiligaynon, Bikol,

Waray, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Maranao, Maguindanao, Kinaray-a and Tausug.

– One or more of these is spoken natively by more than 90% of the population.

PHILIPPINE LANGUAGESPHILIPPINE LANGUAGES

• English & Filipino are official languages–Spanish is no longer an official

language• Other foreign languages spoken by

Filipinos include Chinese (Mandarin and Hokkien), Arabic (especially among the Muslim population)

PHILIPPINE LANGUAGESPHILIPPINE LANGUAGES

• Total of 49.5 m English-speakers–3.4 million Filipinos using English as a

first language

• Ranked No. 5 in List of Countries by English-Speaking population – India (1), USA (2), China (3) & UK (4), – Germany (6), Canada (7), Australia (8),

Pakistan (9) and France (10).

ICT USE in the PHILIPPINES ICT USE in the PHILIPPINES

•• MOBILE PHONE IS THE DIGITAL MOBILE PHONE IS THE DIGITAL DEVICE OF CHOICEDEVICE OF CHOICE–– close to 50% penetrationclose to 50% penetration–– SMS as the killer applicationSMS as the killer application

•• 8:1 text to voice ratio8:1 text to voice ratio–– mCommerce, mGovernmentmCommerce, mGovernment

•• 10% TELEDENSITY (WIRED PHONES)10% TELEDENSITY (WIRED PHONES)

ICT USE in the PHILIPPINESICT USE in the PHILIPPINES

•• INTERNET PENETRATION < 20%INTERNET PENETRATION < 20%–– Access PointsAccess Points

•• 46% access the internet from work or 46% access the internet from work or school school

•• 43 percent from internet cafes43 percent from internet cafes•• 41% from home41% from home

–– average of 1average of 1--3 hours online 3 hours online •• average TV viewing is 3 hrs average TV viewing is 3 hrs

ICT USE in the PHILIPPINESICT USE in the PHILIPPINES

Top 10 Online ActivitiesTop 10 Online Activities

1.1. using Webusing Web--based emails (87%) based emails (87%) 2.2. instant messenger to chat (75%)instant messenger to chat (75%)3.3. reading news online (70%) reading news online (70%) 4.4. using a search engine to get brand using a search engine to get brand

information before buying (63%)information before buying (63%)5.5. reading newsletters from websites after reading newsletters from websites after

signing up for them (61%)signing up for them (61%)

ICT USE in the PHILIPPINESICT USE in the PHILIPPINES

Top 10 Online ActivitiesTop 10 Online Activities

1.1. visiting a job site (59%)visiting a job site (59%)2.2.sharing pictures (56%) sharing pictures (56%) 3.3.sourcing information about movies/DVDs sourcing information about movies/DVDs

(54%) (54%) 4.4. researching brands/companies (54%)researching brands/companies (54%)5.5. reading sponsored content (49%)reading sponsored content (49%)

LOCALIZATION IN THE PHILIPPINESLOCALIZATION IN THE PHILIPPINES

•• No perceived need to focus on basic No perceived need to focus on basic localizationlocalization–– widespread use of Englishwidespread use of English

•• 2 local Linux 2 local Linux ““flavorsflavors”” in Englishin English–– government push to intensify use of government push to intensify use of

EnglishEnglish–– native languages use 'Roman' alphabetnative languages use 'Roman' alphabet

•• Local (language) content development is Local (language) content development is a growing concern.a growing concern.

LOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENTLOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

•• National ICT RoadmapNational ICT Roadmap–– calls for the development calls for the development ““meaningfulmeaningful””, ,

““relevantrelevant”” local content local content

•• CICT Content Dev StrategyCICT Content Dev Strategy–– recognizes that use of local digital content recognizes that use of local digital content

is a major key in unlocking the potentials is a major key in unlocking the potentials of ICTs for the development of local of ICTs for the development of local communities. communities.

•• ee--Knowledge Public Domain Project Knowledge Public Domain Project

–– to enhance eHealth content in the public to enhance eHealth content in the public domain, domain, •• CICT with Intel Microelectronics and the CICT with Intel Microelectronics and the

UNESCO UNESCO -- Philippines Philippines –– content to be developed will be done content to be developed will be done

through community participation, through community participation, according to their local contextaccording to their local context

–– ASEAN Seminar on Local Content ASEAN Seminar on Local Content DevelopmentDevelopment

LOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENTLOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

•• Phil Indigenous Peoples OnlinePhil Indigenous Peoples Online–– empower indigenous communities to empower indigenous communities to

document and preserve their culturedocument and preserve their culture

•• WASH in 8 Philippine LanguagesWASH in 8 Philippine Languages–– Translation of existing Water, Sanitation Translation of existing Water, Sanitation

and Hygiene Program (WASH) modules and Hygiene Program (WASH) modules into eight of the major native languages. into eight of the major native languages. The current multimedia content is in The current multimedia content is in English, Filipino, and Cebuano. English, Filipino, and Cebuano.

LOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENTLOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

• digital documentation of the Hudhud, the Ifugao oral narrative associated with the tribe’s agricultural practices. – This multimedia packet is part of UNESCO’s

Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

• Mofamco to use ICTs to record the folk songs and instrumental music of the indigeneous in the Cordilleras - an administrative region in northern Philippines

LOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENTLOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

• Indigenous Knowledge Storage of Food, Medicinal and Conservation Crops is an initiative to document indigenous crops of the Cordillera to guard against piracy practices, mostly done by multinational drug companies.

• Multimedia training materials on Free/Open Source Software

LOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENTLOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

• Most 'local' internet content are in English–Commercially developed local

content are in English–Even Govt websites are in English!

• Mobile content are in Filipino, “Taglish”, other local languages and English

LOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENTLOCAL CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

QUESTIONS NOT CONCLUSIONSQUESTIONS NOT CONCLUSIONS

•• Consequence of high English literacy on Consequence of high English literacy on local content development effort?local content development effort?

•• Worry that content is first developed in Worry that content is first developed in English and then translated into Filipino English and then translated into Filipino and the other local languages? and the other local languages?

•• Appropriate role of government, NGOs, Appropriate role of government, NGOs, Universities, communities in local content Universities, communities in local content development?development?

Commission on Information and Communications Technology

End of PresentationThank you.