State of the Eastern Visayas Tech Scene

Local CS/IT Sentiments

As developers already engrossed with tech, we're aware that it involves a lot of typing code, analyzing requirements, and making sure as many bugs are squashed as possible. It involves a lot of hard work and consistent learning. However, those around us may have different opinions on tech and the people who are part of it. In the survey, we asked developers in Eastern Visayas to share to us what people in their local area think about CS and IT and the people involved with them.

We learned that for many people in Eastern Visayas, those in CS and IT are computer technicians, can provide a computer-related solution fast and easily, tech-savvy, knows everything there is to know about tech, and people who can repair electronics and appliances. Some developers reported that many people think that people in tech can hack. There are those who believe that they end up becoming tech support, internet cafe attendants, encoders, or someone typing and performing office tasks. There are those as well who think that people who studied CS or IT take up jobs outside of the tech industry. While these sentiments may sound stereotypical, these situations are real and do happen in real life. But, this shows us that CS, IT, and tech, in general, are misunderstood by many in the region. Some developers even have reported that, in their local area, people are not aware of the existence of the tech scene nor know anything about it. A few reported that the scene is mostly ignored and not held in high regard.

Fortunately, many developers report that plenty of people have a better understanding of CS and IT. They reported that people view jobs in tech as being difficult and dynamic in nature, but skills for the field are in demand and great to have due to the prevalence of tech these days. Many view the field as high-paying, competitive, exciting, having great job opportunities, and having some "of the greatest jobs in the universe". Many believe that the field is filled with programmers and the roles graduates of CS and IT can get are programming or design related. Plenty of people also believe that the field is awesome and a way to have fun and enjoy various technologies. Work-from-home arrangements are thought to be common as well. However, there are those who believe that there is no job security in tech. It was also reported that CS and IT are "generally looked down upon, but eventually praised when they [people in tech] earn a lot of money".

Degrees in CS and IT are also viewed to be difficult to obtain, with graduates being perceived to earn more than those in government positions. However, there are those that believe CS and IT to be easy degrees, with the latter degree not being a first choice for many students.

While there is a sentiment that the tech scene is all about making software programs, developers reported that people in their area believe that programming is a tool for solving problems. Aside from creating and managing websites, many believe that people in tech deal with computer vision, signal processing, and machine learning.

The tech scene in Eastern Visayas is reported to be seen by many as being filled by people dealing with tech, with many believing them to be geniuses, though it is reported that people in the tech industry may be thought as weird. In addition to this, it is reported that people believe that those in the field are varied, having different cultural norms, levels of education, and experiences with technology. While it is believed by many that the local tech scene lacks resources and opportunities compared to those in other cities, some believe that it is progressing and catching up with the best of the country.