During the Cebu ICT event last month (June), Senator Mar Roxas delivered his keynote address and quoted a perspective from the book written by Thomas Friedman, "The World is Flat." Upon return to Manila, I bought a copy of the book, along with his other book, "The Lexus and the Olive Tree." 

I am reading both books in parallel and impressed by the perspective of the author. It redefined my advocacy slogan "ICT for all." ICT is no longer information and communications technology. It is information, capital or credit, and technology for all. These 3 are all important components of Globalization 3.0 where it is the age of the super-individual. Not only super-nations and super-markets can shape our world, but super-individuals as well.

In the International Herald Tribune today, there's an interesting article written by Nick Cumming-Bruce titled "A Thai remedy for high health cost." The story expanded a CBS 60 Minutes TV report about Bumrungrad Hospital that has benefited from America's health care crisis. The hospital treated more than 350,000 international patients last year, according to the report. As the most powerful nations make it harder for migrant workers to go to their countries, this contributed to the increasing cost of health care services in their country. This forced patients in need to look for alternatives in getting the health care they need, overseas. This story is an interesting demonstration as to how the world is getting flatter everyday.

Interesting enough as well is the forthcoming conference of the Philippine Internet Commerce Society whose plug I got yesterday via email. Its theme 'Who says the World is Round? Flattening the World Through Technology.' This will be on October 25-26, 2005 at the Hotel Intercontinental, Makati City.