Janette Toral

E-Commerce Policy advocate

Toral is an active volunteer working on the Philippines E-Commerce Roadmap (2015 to 2020) and actively presenting it in various local and international fora for various stakeholder consultation initiatives.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

The DigitalFilipino Stats Report

Toral first published the Digital Filipino 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 principal 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.