NIGHT OWL The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is harnessing the benefits of blockchain technology in improving governance and the delivery of public services. In 2020, the UAE government launched a blockchain-powered medical platform to improve the efficiency of its Ministry of Health and Prevention...
NIGHT OWL Portugal is one of the countries who has invested early on digital transformation and sustained it over the years to be among the world’s leaders in digitalization. It is a member of Digital Nations, a group of leading digital governments — whose founding members include Estonia,...
NIGHT OWL In 2022, the government of Austria launched its digital driver’s license. Called the mobile driving license (mDLs), Austrian citizens can now access their driver’s license through their smartphones after registering for the digital ID. Eventually, the Austrian federal government hopes...
NIGHT OWL One of the first cities in Europe to adopt smart city technologies is the Spanish city of Barcelona. Digital technologies are integrated in many parts of the city. They provide free public Wi-Fi; they have LED lampposts with sensors that turn on when there’s a pedestrian and turns off...
NIGHT OWL When community quarantines due to the Covid-19 pandemic were initially imposed in 2020, only essential workers and those with quarantine passes were allowed to go out. As majority of the population was stuck at home, many reverted to cable TV, streaming sites, and social media to pass...
Recognizing the importance of having access to the internet for growth, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) underscored the urgent need to address the challenges in the country’s shift to digitalization. (Photo courtesy of DICT) “Access to the internet means access...
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo has formally launched two new “Night Owl” books at The Manila Hotel on Tuesday, March 14. The second edition includes a new chapter on the present administration’s Build Better More program,...
It was a night of fun and good cheer at the Presidential Suite of The Manila Hotel last Tuesday, March 14. Wine and food flowed freely as VIPs from the government, the diplomatic community, and the private sector gathered at the spacious suite to celebrate the formal launch of two new “Night...
In a bid to reach more Filipinos, especially those who are more adept at our national language, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) undersecretary and former Build, Build, Build committee chair Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo will release the Filipino edition of *Night Owl*. *Night...
The country’s continuous bid towards ending the digital divide benefits women micro-entrepreneurs, said Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo. During the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67), Lamentillo explained that...
NIGHT OWL Anna Mae Lamentillo Starlink of Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) is now live in the Philippines. We are the first country in Southeast Asia to enjoy Starlink’s services that is expected to provide download speeds of up to 200 Mbps. The activation of Starlink...
NIGHT OWL Anna Mae Lamentillo Last Feb. 6-10, digital leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to ensure a sustainable digital transformation that is people-centered, safe, secure, relevant to the needs of end users and stakeholders, during the 3rd ASEAN Digital...
