Watch: Jocelle Batapa-Sigue on digital growth beyond Metro Manila
Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, a leading figure in the Philippines digital transformation movement and a member of the ITU BDT and Digital Innovation Board, is on a mission to decentralise the countrys tech evolution. In this exclusive interview, she emphasises the importance of expanding digital progress beyond Metro Manila to regional cities and underserved communities.
Batapa-Sigues approach is rooted in long-term advocacy and policy development, having served both as a local legislator and a national official in the Department of Information and Communications Technology. Her focus now lies in mobilising local governments, industries, and academic institutions to work in tandem toward a digitally inclusive future.
From local governance to national impact
With over 27 years of legal experience and a solid track record in public service, Batapa-Sigue champions an ecosystem-centric view of development. Rather than isolating rural areas as disconnected or underdeveloped, she highlights the nuanced digital readiness of various urban and semi-urban centres across the Philippines.
Her work classifies regional cities into tiers based on digital job capacity and infrastructure. Cities such as Bacolod, Iloilo, and Davao are recognised as tier-one hubs with over 50,000 digital jobs, while tier-two and tier-three cities are rapidly growing due to strong leadership, talent development, and supportive environments.
One notable example is Balanga City in Bataan, where Batapa-Sigue has actively supported local ICT champions in building a competitive digital workforce. This includes guiding the government on policy formulation, talent cultivation, and infrastructure enhancement to attract long-term digital investment.
Building with MAGIC
Central to her strategic vision is the MAGIC framework: Making Academia, Government, and Industry Collaborate. This model brings together key stakeholders to co-create digital ecosystems that are contextually tailored and scalable. Shared ownership, Batapa-Sigue explains, is the key to sustaining digital momentum in smaller cities.
Through this integrative framework, she proposes specific areas of collaboration where organisations like the SiGMA Foundation can play a transformative role. Upskilling and reskilling initiatives, particularly in emerging sectors like game development, are among the immediate areas of opportunity.
Strengthening the digital gender agenda
Beyond infrastructure and policy, Batapa-Sigue also spotlights the urgent need for gender equity in the ICT landscape. As a former representative to the International Telecommunication Union, she has actively raised awareness of the stark underrepresentation of women in the technology sector.
Across Southeast Asia, only 16 to 20% of women are engaged in ICT fields, with a similarly low proportion of girls enrolling in computer science, software engineering, or related disciplines. To close this gap, she advocates for targeted programmes to inspire and support women and girls in embracing digital skills.
She calls on stakeholders, including SiGMA Foundation and broader industry players, to partner with her in designing outreach initiatives that normalise female participation in tech. The long-term goal is not only to balance representation but also to tap into the vast potential of women as contributors to digital economies.
A call for inclusive partnerships
Now working independently in the private sector, Batapa-Sigue brings a robust network of public and private stakeholders with her. She invites collaboration from international organisations, including SiGMA Foundation, to amplify community-level projects across the country.
Her message is clear: by empowering local champions and enabling equitable access to tech, the Philippines can leapfrog into a future where no region is left behind. Through programmes rooted in local needs, coordinated collaboration, and a people-first approach to innovation, digital transformation can become not just a goal, but a national movement.
