A high-ranking official of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged government and private institutions to push digitization among businesses to cope with the digital landscape most neighboring countries adopted when the global pandemic struck.

In an interview with the Daily Tribune's digital show Straight Talk, Perry Ferrer, chairperson of the PCCI 48th Philippine Business Conference & Expo set from 19 to 20 October, said that half of the Philippine businesses are not yet engrossed with financial technologies and digital economy.

"Half of the Philippines are still not connected. There is this opportunity for the PCCI to see, I believe the numbers are 50 to 52 percent of the nation, are still not connected to the Internet or underserved or have spotty connections. So, that is where we believe that the Philippines has a significant opportunity to really drive economic activity is where we connect these entities and these businesses.
Imagine the opportunity that these neophyte businesses connect to the Internet," he said.

Ferrer said there's a huge opportunity, not just locally but globally for these freshmen business owners if they will utilize the Internet in promoting their brands and services.

"We are looking forward to that and we were happy that President Bongbong Marcos said in his last State of the Nation Address that digitization and connectivity are his priorities, and we support that 100 percent," according to Ferrer.

Not just in his first SoNA but even in his attendance at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City last month, Marcos Jr. said the digital transformation would allow all nations to keep abreast of a changing world, lamenting that many nations still "barely understand" the use and advantage of digital technologies.