From left to right: Marlex Ladag, Alexandra Bernaldo-Ladag, Dr. Nancy Getalado-Lanuza, Gesela Valenzuela, Francis Mark Mawo, Jeffrey Yauder, Mailyn Taneo, Isobelle De Guzman-Panoy, and Jay-ar Panoy.

The Calbayog Smart-ICT Council, newly inducted as a member of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), held its inaugural meetup and brainstorming session at Coffee First in Calbayog City. The event brought together professionals from government, academe, and industry to explore how collaboration and innovation can strengthen Calbayog’s growing ICT ecosystem.

RackApp’s Role in the Council

Representing the industry sector, Marlex Ladag — one of the conveners of the Calbayog Smart-ICT Council — and Alexandra Bernaldo-Ladag of RackApp IT Solutions joined the discussion to share insights from their backgrounds in web development and integrated systems, ranging from web and mobile applications to websites. As one of Calbayog’s emerging IT startups, RackApp emphasized the importance of empowering local talent, advancing digital literacy, and building solutions that can support the city’s digital transformation.

Key Participants

The session gathered dedicated professionals from diverse ICT fields:

• Francis Mark Mawo – Smart City, ICT & Special Project Lead, and one of the conveners of the Calbayog Smart-ICT Council, bringing extensive experience in ICT and project management.
• Dr. Nancy Getalado-Lanuza – Associate Professor at NwSSU and Council convener, bridging the academe’s role in research, innovation, and ICT capacity-building.
• Gesela Valenzuela – Computer Science Teacher from CKC, dedicated to helping students strengthen their technological foundation.
• Jay-ar Panoy – DepEd professional with expertise in Robotics, representing Calbayog in international competitions.
• Mailyn Taneo – Founder of WeLink VA, a virtual assistant agency built on trust and integrity, helping entrepreneurs save time through efficient task outsourcing and dedicated client support.
• Isobelle De Guzman-Panoy – Virtual Administrative Professional, supporting clients through effective HR management and strategic marketing execution.
• Jeffrey Yauder – Senior Business Analyst focused on process improvement and systems analysis.

Moving Forward

The meetup marked a vital step toward shaping Calbayog’s Smart and Sustainable City roadmap. Through continuous collaboration, the Council envisions creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing, skills training, and employment—empowering Calbayognons to thrive in the city’s growing digital economy.

RackApp IT Solutions is proud to be part of this movement and remains committed to supporting initiatives that drive innovation and progress through technology.

—

#RackAppITSolutions #CalbayogSmartICT #SmartCity #DigitalCalbayog #InnovationThroughCollaboration