Janette Toral

Janette Toral
Residence Manila, Philippines
Nationality Filipino
Occupation Trainer, writer, SEO consultant, blogger, policy lobbyist, and entrepreneur.
Notable work Blogging from Home, DigitalFilipino.com E-Commerce Workshop E-Book, DigitalFilipino: An E-Commerce Guide for the eFilipino
Website

Janette Toral is a practicing e-commerce, social media, and Internet marketing specialist, trainer, blogger, policy lobbyist, and entrepreneur(business and social), educator, researcher, writer, ambassador, community leader, business leader, and dubbed as "mother of e-commerce law in the Philippines".[1][2]

Business interest

Toral founded the Philippine Internet Commerce Society in 1997. She lobbied for the Y2K Law and E-Commerce Law which was eventually passed in the year 2000, making it easier for companies in the Philippines to do online businesses globally.[3]

Toral's personal website, the DigitalFilipino.com was founded in September 1999, to promote her e-commerce book and Philippine internet documentary.[4]

Toral started the DigitalFilipino Club in 2003, to promote her 2nd e-commerce book and Philippine internet documentary.[5]

In 2006, Toral created the DigitalFilipino.com Podcast, co produced with Pocholo Gonzales of Creative Voices Productions and had 13 episodes.[6]

In 2007, Toral launched the DigitalFilipino Web Awards, which is given yearly to the best Filipino website with different categories.[7]

Since 2003, Toral also writes a weekly business column for Sun.Star Cebu.[8]

Toral has been campaigning for the application of the capability maturity model integration (CMMI)in the Philippines since 2002. This would ensure a higher-quality software development in the country, which would make the Philippines compete effectively in the international market. Toral's goal of making the country dependent on its own CMMI trainers and assessors, is still to be realized.[9]

Writings

The DigitalFilipino Stats Report

Toral first published the The DigitalFilipino Stat report in the year 2002. The issues spoke about the importance of IT to users.

The 3rd of series of regular survey results of DigitalFilipino in the year 2002 shows that the internet has grown in importance to users. The internet users in the Philippines seem to have shifted from toy and communication services to research and business tool. The survey allows Entrepreneurs to make more important decisions in their strategies and operations on the services offered.[10]

Over 40% of those surveyed said that the internet was used basically for research. 20% said that email was the main reason for using the internet. 60% are accessing the internet in their place of work, and is not limited to big companies alone, but has spread to Small and medium enterprises as well. All the users are also shopping online. This issue is concerned mainly with the use of the internet and shopping behavior online.[10]

The 2nd issue speaks of mobile phone users in the Philippines, which is considered something like a wireless champion due to the acceptance of users in the Short messaging service (SMS). Almost 17% of Filipinos have prepaid or postpaid subscriptions to mobile services. Telecom providers all over Asia have used the Philippines as a model in the development of added services on SMS usage.[11]

The 4th issue speaks of the latest on e-services. According to the latest survey of Toral in 2003, Secretary Manuel Roxas is the best evangelist in promoting outsourcing industry, referring to e-services like contact centers and medical transcriptions. According to the stats report, 21% of those surveyed are satisfied with the support that the government is giving on the e-service industry. They are also satisfied on the efforts given to improve the quality of education and skilled workers, the opening of IT parks, on the incentives provided for related campaigns on IT.[12]

Another issue of the DigitalFilipino Stats Report entitled "The Filipino Internet banker" in 2003, stated that more than half a million Filipinos would regularly bank online. Convenience, time, and resource saving are the principle factors for using online banking services, which would include inquiries on accounts, transfer of funds, and payment of bills. Most internet users banking online are young, 68% being males. Internet banking is becoming an effective tool in acquiring clients who are ready to spend money.[13]

Other writings and publishing

Year Publishing
2009 Blogging from Home[14](speaks of blogging trend in the Philippines. The blogging community has grown, the blog contents are cause-oriented, and the people can find information here where they can't get anywhere else)[15]
September 2004 Editor of the Philippine Internet Review project documenting 10 years of the Internet in the Philippines
May 2004 Published the DigitalFilipino.com E-Commerce Workshop E-Book printed edition through McGraw-Hill Education Asia.
June 2002 Published the 1st IT-focused Statistics publication with DigitalFilipino StatsReport
June 2000 "The DigitalFilipino: An E-Commerce Guide for the eFilipino"[16]
September 1999 Published the 1st E-Commerce research website in the Philippines with DigitalFilipino.com

Awards

2011 Recognized as a promising woman leader in entrepreneurship and technology (US Embassy) Toral was sent to the US as part of the professional exchange program, International Visitors Leadership Program, by the US State Department, which was hosted by the World Affairs Council of Seattle.[3]
5 March 2010 Champion of Philippine Internet and E-Commerce Hall of Fame Award Given by Asian Institute of E-Commerce:“for offering all her life towards the advancement of E-Commerce and Digital Media education and policy improvement in the Philippines”.[17]
October 2009 Digital Elder[18] Special award given by Globe-2009 Philippine Blog Awards[19]
February 2008 E-Services Awards 2008 – Policy and Legal Category[20] This award recognizes personalities or organizations whose ideas, talent, and commitment have contributed significantly to Philippine ICT development and/or whose passion and dedication have helped raise the bar of excellence in the Philippines' e-Services industry.It also aims to promote and propagate good practices and outstanding contributions and inspire others to replicate achievements of the awardees.[21]
November 2004 International Schools Cyberfair Ambassador Award 2004
May 2002 International Schools Cyberfair Ambassador Award 2002 given by the Global SchoolHouse in recognition for her efforts in organizing Cyberfair[22] in the Philippines.

References

  1. ↑ "APEC Event Showcases Women Innovators". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "Mother of e-commerce". Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Guiding Filipinos in the Online Market". 1 September 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "DigitaFilipino Yahoo Groups". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "DigitaFilipino.com". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "Filipina podcast goes high gear". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "Meet Janette Toral, marketing blogger in the Philippines". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  8. ↑ "Janette Toral- Sun Star Cebu". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  9. ↑ "Betting on E-Commerce". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "The DigitalFilipino Stats Report- Filipino Internet User Report". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "The DigitalFilipino Stats Report- Filipino Mobile Phone User Report". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  12. ↑ "The DigitalFilipino Stats Report- Philippine Outsourcing Industry Report". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  13. ↑ "The DigitalFilipino Stats Report- Filipino Internet Banker Report". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  14. ↑ "Blogging from Home". Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  15. ↑ "Filipino author shows how to blog from home". Retrieved 23 January 2012.
  16. ↑ "The DigitalFilipino: An E-Commerce Guide for the eFilipino". Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  17. ↑ "JANETTE TORAL: Recipient of the First Champion of Philippine Internet and E-Commerce Hall of Fame Award at the BLOGWORLD PHILIPPINES 2010". The Social Thinkers.com. 8 March 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  18. ↑ "Digital Elder Award". 20 December 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  19. ↑ "2009 Philippine Blog Awards winners". 10 October 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  20. ↑ "Winners: E-Services Awards 2008". Philippines Outsourcing Review. 13 February 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  21. ↑ "E Champion Awardee 2008". Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  22. ↑ "Cyberfair.". Retrieved 3 February 2011.