Phillippine president officially takes up residence in Second Life

In a rather interesting gesture, Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has unveiled her likeness in the virtual world, Second Life, during the National Innovation Summit held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati November 26, 2007. She as joined by members of the Department of Science, Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro, IBM Executive Vice President for the Innovation and Technology Department Nick Donofrio.

Arroyo’s intent was to show her country that she is not opposed to change and innovation.

During the summit, with a theme from TV series Battlestar Galactica playing in the background, the president got her first glimpse of her Second Life avatar.

“Preparing our growth sectors of the future enables us to tap the opportunities of the 21st century.We will promote fast-growing industries where high value jobs are plentiful…let us declare that technology is the foundation of future economic development,” the President stressed in a speech given in July 2001 prior to hosting the summit to introduce a program that is designed to strengthen the country’s competitiveness in the global knowledge-based economy and transform the Philippines into a technology hub in Asia.

Creating a Second Life avatar is the first step to creating a virtual Philippine Embassy in the game. The virtual embassy will be largely used by IBM for global conferencing with many of its executives regularly meeting with the use of their own avatars.

“We believe that innovation is key to our national competitiveness,” Arroyo said during the summit.

Read [Inquirer.net] Also Read [Hackenslash] Site [Phillippine Government]