NTT DATA PHILIPPINES is recognized as Community Response Award Finalist in 2020 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards
July 30, 2020
NTTDATA Asia Pacific Ptd. Ltd.
REDMOND, Wash. – July 13, 2020 – Microsoft Corporation announced the winners and finalists of the 2020 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards.
Among the 3,300 entries collected from over 100 countries, NTT DATA Philippines is one of the organizations recognized by Microsoft with the Community Response Award – a new global award category that recognizes partner organizations providing innovative support or services to customers and the community. This year, the award acknowledges innovative solutions to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. NTT DATA Philippines will be awarded in this year’s digital Microsoft Inspire.
Pocholo Reyes, CEO of NTT DATA Philippines said, “I am extremely proud of our team, and the partnerships with OWWA and Microsoft that made this possible. We’ve seen and heard how so many of our modern heroes have lost their livelihood due to this global COVID-19 pandemic, so we have been equally inspired to do our part as a technology partner and our commitment to our nation to help OWWA deliver a safe and reliable financial assistance application portal to our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families as well.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible impact in our society today, and we recognize the enormous role of technology in helping us respond and adapt. We are eager to continue collaborating with Microsoft to contribute to the success of our customers especially during these challenging times.”
The winning award entry illustrates how the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), an attached agency of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), with the help of NTT DATA Philippines, was able to provide the displaced Overseas Filipino Workers financial assistance through the DOLE-AKAP (Embrace) portal.
“On behalf of Secretary Bello, I’d like to congratulate the OWWA teams and our cloud partner NTT DATA Philippines for this global recognition from Microsoft.” OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac shared. “I’m proud of our stellar IT team led by Rosanna Siray and Joseph John Padilla, and our indispensable administrative units that provided support services to set up real-time electronic application, evaluation, and database systems to support the DOLE-AKAP financial assistance program for our OFWs.”
DETAILS:
Challenges
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are among the largest expat workforce in the world and their contributions account for 10% of the Philippines GDP. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, over a million of these OFWs have been displaced and unemployed. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) responded through the DOLE-AKAP (Embrace) initiative which provides one-time financial assistance of Php10,000 or US$200 for displaced land-based and sea-based OFWs. Anticipating 300,000 applications and 10,000 simultaneous access, the system has the capacity and flexibility to store documents supporting the claim of OFWs such as proof of identity and employment details like passports, Overseas Employment Certificates (OEC), etc. Compounding to this challenge was the fact that the solution was needed when the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was already enforced in Metro Manila and other provinces.
Solution
OWWA partnered with NTT DATA to start their digital transformation journey back in 2018. By hosting their applications in Microsoft Azure, OWWA was able to optimize their existing assets across both on-premises and cloud sources, and migrate key services to cloud like the OWWA Mobile App, Membership Processing System (MPS), OFW e-Card Online System, Scholarship Management System (SMS), Benefits Availment Program (BAP), Electronic Case Registry Response System (e-CARES), OWWA Shelter Management, “Uwian Na” Online System, SENA Case Registry, Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) and the OWWA Website both in the Central Office and Regional Offices.
NTT DATA was able to help OWWA quickly respond to challenges and create the application portal, www.dole-akap.gov.ph, in the provision of the financial assistance for displaced OFWs in just two (2) days.
Outcome
Within three days of launch, OWWA received 54,000 online applications through its portal www.dole-akap.gov.ph. Moreover, the OWWA IT personnel was able to configure, deploy the application and modify updates remotely using DevOps and Azure providing flexibility at an instant with minimal downtime.
OWWA was able to provide fast, secure, and safe programs and services including evaluation of submitted documents and disbursement of cash financial assistance to OFWs. The OFWs and their families need not go to OWWA Regional Offices for the application, thus eliminating the risk of the infection. Also, OWWA’s IT team does not need to be physically at the office to deploy and monitor the solution, and they are able to scale easily when required.
The roadmap for OWWA is to use Azure Intelligent services to enhance their existing applications.
Visit:
About NTT DATA
NTT DATA is a leading IT services provider and global innovation partner headquartered in Tokyo, with business operations in over 50 countries. Our emphasis is on long-term commitment, combining global reach with local intimacy to provide premier professional services varying from consulting and systems development to outsourcing. For more information, visit www.nttdata.com.
About Microsoft Partner of the Year
The finalists and winners for all Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards were selected from more than 3,300 nominations collected from more than 100 different countries worldwide based on their commitment to customers, their solution’s impact on the market and exemplary use of Microsoft technologies. The complete list of categories, winners and finalists, including the Microsoft Country Partner of the Year Award winners for 2020, is available at MS POTYA 2020 Final. For more information visit https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/inspire/awards.
The Microsoft Inspire video is also available for download at https://www.dropbox.com/
Media contact
NTT DATA Asia Pacific Ptd. Ltd.
Collaboration with Microsoft
Kamal.Sharma@nttdata.com
Public Relations
Seiichi.Kitamura@nttdata.com
NTT DATA PHILIPPINES
Public Relations
Michelle.Lachica@nttdata.com