IT SUMMIT DAY 2: Integration Mindset & Cybersecurity Crucial

With Day 1 of the Digital Summit concluding that Digital transformation is here to stay, that co-ops must embrace digitalization by building a shared infrastructure, and that
57.4% of PH retail payments are digital, and that the Konektadong Pinoy Act accelerates inclusion, the Digital Summit proceeded to Day 2 with the following take-aways:
Cybersecurity and data privacy must be strengthened, and that though digitalization is faster and more widespread, there should be risk controls and education of co-op members
and personnel. Further, Artificial Intelligence must be harnessed because it is usable without technical background, boosts workflow, automates many mundane functions,
and aids loan evaluation and risk profiling.

The result of the Day 2 Workshop concluded that among co-ops, there is:
 Resistance to change replaced with a new mindset
 Weak internet will be addressed by the Konektadong Pinoy Act which recently became law,
 Not enough for cloud-based systems
 No disaster recovery plans will have to be worked out
 Budget limitations should be addressed / prioritized by co-ops
 IT expertise will have to be developed
 Co-ops should have clear policies and compliance structures
 Strong leadership that buys into the necessity and possibility of digitalization
 Need for one core banking system and Payment services system for co-ops to accelerate digitalization

One of the major steps of the Digital Summit 2025 was the creation of the “Digital Champions Club”, composed of IT practitioners in the co-op sector who will push for the
digitalization of cooperatives. A technical working group that will work out the eventual Club was initially formed with representatives from Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon.
Luzon Representatives include Roberto V. Alabat II of Camsur MPC in Naga City and Juan Miguel S. Barcial of San Dionisio Credit Cooperative in Paranaque City. Visayas
representative is John A. Daroy of Barbaza MPC in Antique. For Mindanao, there are Jonathan T. Sumampat of Micro Entrepreneurs MPC in Zamboanga City and
Aldie P. Alia of MSU-IIT NMPC in Iligan City.