Letting Go of Philippine Internet Commerce Society

When I founded the Philippine Internet Commerce Society in 1997, was at a stage of my life where I have to find inspiration and channel my energy to an organization - be in charge of its destiny. It was created partly because of my frustration in IT organizations existent those days where thousands of pesos are being charged in order for one to become a member and it usually becomes a 'sosyalan' meeting only.

Year after year, I stayed on, take the challenge in running the organization. Aside from that, it was also a decision made by elected board members to ensure that the E-Commerce Law and its implementation guidelines gets done first, finish what I started.

This year, I made a decision of letting go of the organization. It was not easy but there was too much politics around me to the point that every single move I make gets noticed, positively and negatively. There are also those who are politically in conflict with me that affected PICS as it became too identified with me.

But I do believe that the right moment and time will come. Current PICS President Mary Anne Tolentino and a community member of W3O was the answer I was looking for. She has extra-ordinary leadership, conviction, and decisiveness. In many ways, we are totally opposite but despite such, we clicked. She was there during my 2001 to 2002 peak of challenges (at that time, not having the organization take a stand for asking President Joseph Estrada to step down and remain apolitical) that made me realized that she's the right one for PICS.

However, kicking old habits was not easy. I thought is was easy letting go. But in order for an organization to grow and expand its horizon, new leaders must be taken in. They will take the organization to greater heights. I learned to step back and give all the room that is needed in order for one to accomplish their tasks, the way they like it. Similar to what I had then in my time.

Creating DigitalFilipino.com was a great relief for me. It helped me to gradually let go of PICS as early as 1999 and was able to completely finish the full transition a month ago. I'm proud to have founded the organization and know that it is in safe hands now with Mary Ann Tolentino taking the lead for it. I hope that more and more people like her who benefited from what PICS worked hard for, the Y2K Law and the E-Commerce Law, to continuously ensure that the organization will evolve and be of relevance to its community.