Science Secretary de la Peña joins High-Level Meeting on Digital Public Goods of the 76th UN General Assembly
On 29 September 2021, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña participated in the High-Level Meeting entitled, “From Open Software to Open Society – Digital Public Goods for Inclusive Digital & Social Transformation” held during the High-Level Segment of the 76th United Nations General Assembly.
During the meeting, Secretary de la Peña highlighted DOST’s strategies on strengthening the Open Source Community by funding several open source projects such as Bayanihan Linux, Open Technology Business Incubator (OpenTBI) for startups, iGovPhil, and DOST-ASTI’s Philippine Research, Education, and Government Information Network (PREGINET). Datasets to support research and education in weather, disaster, space-based data for various applications, and COVID-19 initiatives were also made available.
Advocating for full digitalization of the delivery of public services and partnering with startups to promote Digital Public Goods (DPGs), Sec. de la Peña stated concrete recommendations to the global community. This included funding support, policy advocacy, capacity building initiatives, international communities, intergovernmental agreements, educational programs, and repository of open-source projects. He further mentioned that Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development of the DOST has been working with UNICEF to increase awareness in the Philippines on DPGs.
On the other hand, the Ministers from India, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Uzbekistan, and Switzerland shared their strategies and best practices in accelerating the DPGs, as well as the challenges they have encountered. The ministers provided recommendations on what role the key stakeholders including the UN should play to support inclusive transformation as well.
During the wrap-up session, the organizers recognized the Philippines for its good examples in implementing initiatives in DPGs. The event was hosted by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) and was supported by the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (By Karen Lou Mabagos, International Technology Cooperation Unit, DOST)
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