Please don't get me wrong. The title of this column does not mean I am promoting Cebu as an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and e-services hub. My intention is to point out that Cebu over the last ten years or so has been developing its capability as an ICT center.

Another example of Cebu's continuing efforts in this regard is the forthcoming International Conference on Business and ICT (CEBU IT 2005) on June 22-24 which is intended to attract 2, 000 local and foreign delegates.

It is apparent that Cebu has had a strong headstart over Eastern Visayas in promoting ICT.

In fact, we can view them (as they probably view us) as our competitor.

The question then is how can we be competitive? That is to say, we can compete but this does not mean we are competitive.

We can always invite ICT companies, but how can we be chosen by these companies when we can't match what Cebu has to offer?

It should be noted that the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a private sector organization, organized the CEBU IT.

So, the big question is: will the private sector in this region be able to support and promote ICT the way the Cebu business groups do?

What the private sector should do is to determine how they do it in Cebu, and learn from them and invest in ICT in a way the Cebu business groups have done.

The way I see it, two groups in Eastern Visayas will have a major role in ICT ventures are to be promoted, set up and expanded in eastern Visayas. These are the businessmen in Tacloban City and in Ormoc City .

They need to know more about ICT and when they are convinced they can start investing.

If they don't, then they, in effect, will be supporting the title of this column.