The Philippine call center sector, called the sunshine industry a few years back, is set for even brighter days ahead as it receives a much needed boost with the release of a language training software that aims to teach Juan dela Cruz how not to mix his Fs and Ps and speak better English.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through its sectoral council, the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), in partnership with the University of the Philippines Diliman, launched  the trial version of the software, called the “Learning English Application for Pinoys”  or LEAP last November 22 at the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel in Quezon City.

Program LEAP is categorized under Project 7 of the ICT for Education Inter-disciplinary Signal Processing for Pinoys Program, or ISIP,  which is part of DOST’s Engineering Research and Development for Technology initiative.

A computer-based stand-alone  training system, LEAP is a supplementary tool to prepare high school and college students for the call center industry in a bid to help the country regain its footing as a stronghold of English language competency and push it further into the forefront of the global BPO industry.

“DOST supports this project in the hope of raising the level of skills and competencies of Filipinos working in the BPO industry or seeking employment in the BPO industry or any other industry for that matter,” said DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo in his keynote speech read by Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, PCIEERD executive director.

During the launch, Dr. Susan P Festin, ISIP 7 project leader, cited a study by the Social Weather Station which indicated that Filipinos’ English language ability has been sliding since 1993. Another study, undertaken in 2005, found that the hiring rates of IT-BPO companies in the country were only four to six percent, with poor English skills cited as a major drawback.

Earlier, Dr. Guevara delivered the welcome remarks at the launch attended by representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP), and the Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments (DTI-BOI), among others. “We have realized that science and technology, and the number of people who are doing science and technology, are very good indicators of progress,” said Dr. Guevara.

The newly launched trial version constitutes half of the LEAP software covering a 10-module Language Training Program. The Linux and Windows-based program tackles the groundwork for English fluency—from tenses, pronouns and prepositions, to idioms and other basic topics related to grammar and vocabulary.

The other half of the software features its Speech Training Program which will tackle Filipinos’ common speech lapses, among others.

The launch was highlighted by a demonstration and presentation of the software courtesy of Dr. Festin and the turnover and distribution of LEAP CDs. Demo computers were also available to allow guests to try out the trial version and have a glimpse of LEAP’s Speech Module.

Prior to the launch, the software underwent usability testing in various schools including the Bulacan State University and Negros Oriental State University, among others.

“A healthy citizenry equals a productive citizenry, equals a productive country.”  Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region XI Assistant Regional Director Elsie Mae A. Solidum thus summed up her talk titled “Why it makes sense to invest in healthcare innovation”  during the recent Innovation Expo 2012 held at the Abreeza Mall in Davao City.

Bringing the Expo to the provinces such as Davao is very important, Solidum said. This is due to the fact that the quality of health service in rural districts especially the far-flung regions is crippled because of the strong demand for highly skilled medical professionals in the big, progressive cities, making doctors and nurses flock to these urban areas. Connectivity and accessibility to expert medical care then become serious problems in these localities.

This is where technology can bridge the gap, without necessarily adding cost to the service, said Solidum. The DOST official mentioned cellular phones and the Internet as strong, reliable tools to create such connectivity between doctors, nurses, and patients. 

Innovation Expo is a project of DOST’s Information and Communications Technology Office and ICT Davao, in partnership with the Regional Health Research and Development Consortium-XI (RHRDC-XI).  Bannered the theme “Enabling Innovation in Healthcare, Creative and ICT Industries”, the Expo was held in November to inform players of said industries and the public on the need to maximize the use of technological trends in the profession and promote the adoption of locally developed ICTs.

The initiative is in line with DOST Sec. Mario Montejo’s pitch of developing and using local technologies and the Department’s current thrusts of pushing further to the frontlines the healthcare and IT-business process outsourcing (BPO) industries. DOST-XI Regional Director Anthony Sales gave full support to the Expo, in regard to the fact that Davao tops the Next Wave Cities, or areas outside Metro Manila and Cebu that have the strongest potentials as BPO hub.

In affirming DOST’s commitment in support of  advancements and modernization of the local health care sector, Solidum stated that the Department fulfills this task via its sectoral council, the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development. The council formulates policies, develops strategies, implements projects, and provides funding as it strengthens the feasibility and impact of these health innovations.

Meanwhile, in another talk, Engr. Wilfredo Nadela, vice president of Segworks Technologies Corporation said, “If we need our health care organizations to be more cost-effective, more organized, and more efficient, there is no other way but to invest in healthcare innovation.” Segworks is a frontrunner in southern Mindanao’s software industry.

Nadela  discussed two dynamic areas in which hospitals and health facilities can effectively put innovations in place: IT tools and health information system portals.

According to him, IT tools which include electronic-based medical histories and records of patients will help assist physicians in evidence-based decision making. Health information system portals, on the other hand, will allow patients, doctors, and nurses to log on to their own secure portals for the necessary information – from the patient’s medical history, health status and progress, to medication, treatment and procedures. 

“Personally, I think the Philippines needs health care innovations. China, Vietnam, and Singapore have better health care systems than we do,” claimed Nadela.

Adrian Flores, CEO of X2 Wave Corporation, a Davao-based software company specializing in health care solutions, further illustrated the benefits of incorporating results-driven technology within hospital systems via a presentation of the company’s high-impact software solutions. Among these is the Electronic Medical Record which has the full capability of sharing patient information with any health care facility or doctor as the need arises. 

Innovation Expo 2012, which likewise served as a show window for Filipinos’ potential and high level of expertise in ICT, was attended by medical professionals, IT product developers, vendors, BPO service providers, and students, among others.