The Negros Occidental provincial government has officially become the first government entity globally to partner with international software firm Layertech Software Labs Inc. for technology and digital skills development.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the company on Monday, October 20, marking a major step forward for the province’s tech education initiatives.
The agreement designates the Negros Occidental Language and IT Center (NOLITC) as an official Layertech training partner. Governor Lacson expressed his gratitude, stating that he hopes NOLITC “could be at par with other international partners” in technology training.
According to Layertech CEO Maria Jhian Sangil, the partnership with NOLITC is a pioneering program. “We are giving all learning materials to NOLITC for free. Tomorrow we are training NOLITC facilitators to become accredited trainers of the program,” she announced.
Under the program, NOLITC will roll out several key courses aimed at boosting digital literacy and economic opportunities across the province:
- Public Data Analytics (PDA) course
- Harnessing the Power of the Digital Economy (HPDE) course for MSMEs
- Learn2Code: Coding out of Poverty Programs (L2C)
As an official partner, NOLITC is authorized to conduct these PDA, HPDE, and L2C courses and issue corresponding certificates.
Sangil highlighted the significance of the partnership, noting that while Layertech has conducted output-based training with international partners and private organizations since 2020—including implementation in countries like Papua New Guinea, Armenia, and various Arabic nations—this is their first collaboration with a government entity. Furthermore, Layertech will endorse its partners to global clients for potential training, certification, and funding opportunities.
Present during the MOA signing were Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas II and NOLITC School Administrator Ma. Cristina Orbecido.
