Internet Trends and IT Industry News and Development [Archive] - Page 2

Christendom

August 12th, 2006, 10:13 AM

TWO ANOTHER CALL CENTERS EYEING BACOLOD CITY

Thursday, May 25, 2006
World's largest call center eyeing Bacolod operation

Bacolod City is one of the areas being considered as a potential site of the world's largest US-based call center.
Representatives of the Convergys One led by its vice president and country general manager Marife Zamora were welcomed by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday at City Hall yesterday.
Zamora said their company has already six call centers in Manila and one in Cebu and that a number of their agents come from Bacolod and Negros Occidental.
Leonardia said: "We want to see to it that the entry and official operation of Convergys in Bacolod could be hastened." IO Asia has already started its operation in the city while Teleperformance, Teletech and Focus Communications are set to operate within this year.
"With the entry of these call centers aside from the entry of Shoe Mart, 2006 is going to be a boom year for Bacolod City in terms of employment opportunities and economic stimulation," Leonardia said. We have to concentrate on taking efforts to train our people in order to fill in the manpower requirement of the call centers, he said.
Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue said the city will hold a Human Resource Summit in Bacolod in July after the Mayor approved the budget for the Bacolod Information Technology Team.
We will gather all school heads of the 40 colleges and universities in the province for a dialog with the academe and the call centers in order for them to map out a human resource growth plan for the region, she said.
Batapa-Sigue said the city will not discourage the coming on of other call centers but they have to self-regulate. For the meantime, the city can only handle five and later on, as we manage the resource growth, we will be able to handle other call centers, she said.
After the five call centers, the city will focus on developing its manpower so that it will be able to support and fully satisfy the requirement of these call centers, Batapa-Sigue said.
"In the meantime, our focus will be on software development and legal transcription. We have a good number of medical transcription businesses coming in, and we will link with companies in Manila to be able to train our potential animators," she said.
Leonardia assured the Convergys representatives that the city government will provide them a climate that would help them grow in Bacolod and that they will be entitled to tax incentives.
Batapa-Sigue said all IT industries in the Philippines will also enjoy incentives offered by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority if these are located in an IT park or building owned by a locator.
"In Bacolod, even without locators, we have already convinced real property owners to prepare their sites for accreditation with PEZA," she said.*CGS

SOURCE: http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/May/25/topstory5.htm

Monday, May 22, 2006
e-PLDT unit to increase presence

CALL-CENTER operator e-PLDT Ventus said it may increase the number of its centers in the country and double the number of seats in the next two years.
Alberto Santos, e-PLDT’s vice president for operations, said the company will invest around $40 million in adding six to seven new centers to their current seven sites.
“[The addition] will also double the number of seats from 4,028 to 8,000 in two years,” Santos told The Times in an interview.
He added that they plan to locate the new sites outside Metro Manila, possibly in Dumaguete City, Bacolod City, Baguio City and even Batangas. Currently, e-PLDT operates six call centers in Metro Manila and one in Iloilo.
The company, through its voice-based service, mainly caters to American clients, which make for 80 percent of its entire portfolio, and is looking at Australia, the United Kingdom and the Asean countries to beef up its clientele.
Its domestic client is only around 15 percent to 20 percent, Santos said.
The company has recently tied up with The Manila Times Language Institute to address the problem of declining number of qualified call-center agents in the Philippines.
The e-PLDT has invested in English proficiency software provided by The Manila Times, saying that while the investment is not substantial it has a right value for its money.
“We see it as a very important and timely tool to help us address the communication skills problems by most our workers today,” Rosalie Montenegro, e-PLDT Ventus’s president, said.
The software acquisition, Montenegro said, is part of their expansion plans, which will also involve establishing new centers in many areas in the country.
Besides the tie up with The Manila Times Language Institute, e-PLDT has signed up with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines for its “English School: Proud to be Bilingual” program.

SOURCE: http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/may/22/yehey/business/20060522bus8.html

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a325/zyanz/bacolod/festival_masskarabacolodtwohead.jpg
www.metrobacolod.cq.bz (http://www.metrobacolod.cq.bz)

WawaY[625]

August 12th, 2006, 10:20 AM

__________________________________________
Oral Proficiency in English
Source: John Clements

Iloilo - 78%
Cebu - 70%
Bacolod - 63%
Baguio - 62%
Cagayan de Oro - 57%
Davao - 57%
Dumaguete - 49%
Metro Manila - 48%

irrelevant...

amigo32

August 12th, 2006, 10:27 AM

Iba ang nakikita ko, the bigger picture!

Magiging IT HUB nga ang Pilipinas sa daming investment sa probinsiya. Hindi lang Metro Manila ang dinudumog ng BPO. Sana maunahan na ang India.

Christendom

August 12th, 2006, 10:27 AM

Oral Proficiency in English
Source: John Clements

Iloilo - 78%
Cebu - 70%
Bacolod - 63%
Baguio - 62%
Cagayan de Oro - 57%
Davao - 57%
Dumaguete - 49%
Metro Manila - 48%

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Bacoleños more adept in English than counterparts in Metro Manila

An assessment conducted by Teleperformance shows that call center applicants from Bacolod have a higher proficiency in English compared to those from Metro Manila, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said in a press release yesterday.

Teleperformance Site Director Richard Loveland and Account Manager Jason Farman told Leonardia in their recent visit to Bacolod that applicants in the city scored higher passing rates compared to their Metro Manila counterparts. Loveland and Farman said that this is one of the reasons why Teleperformance is putting up their multi-million investment here, the press release said.

Leonardia said that one of the considerations for Teleperformance's preference for Bacolod was the study conducted by the Asian Institute of Management, showing the city as one of the top five most competitive cities in the country.

In terms of "infrastructure" and "quality of life," Bacolod even ranked number one.

The Teleperformance executives said that they also considered the peace and order situation and the cleanliness of Bacolod as major factors, the press release said, adding that their company plans to hire about 1,000 employees in the next two years.

Meanwhile, Loveland also spoke at the 6th Visayas Island Congress of the Philippine Councilors League Saturday during a technical session on "Strategies and Inputs for Creating Opportunities in the ICT and Business Process Outsourcing Industries."

At the gathering, Visayas councilors passed a resolution pushing for the creation of a Department of Information and Communications Technology to replace the current Commission on ICT as recommended by business experts, Bacolod Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, program committee chairman, said in a press release from her office.

She said that the PCL also asked for an increase in the education budget to enable the country to produce skilled and competent manpower for ICT and BPO industry, and for the immediate creation of a Visayas-wide body to address the concerns of ICT and BPO industry in the region, the press release added.*

SOURCE:
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2006/June/21/businessnews2.htm

www.metrobacolod.cq.bz
(U/C)

MtApoStandard

August 12th, 2006, 10:28 AM

.

...Nasdaq-listed PeopleSupport Inc., for example, intended to spend a month in Davao hiring staff for its call centers in Manila and Cebu, but it filled more than half its recruitment target after a week.

...Indeed, it would be hard to miss the call-center recruiters now canvassing Davao. Big U.S. companies like Sykes Enterprises Inc. and Convergys Corp. regularly attend job fairs in the city. PeopleSupport broadcasts jingles over local radio and cable television, frequently mentioning its $500 offer to successful candidates to relocate to Manila.

http://www.careerjournalasia.com/hrcenter/articles/20050318-hookway.html

.

WawaY[625]

August 12th, 2006, 10:35 AM

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Bacoleños more adept in English than counterparts in Metro Manila

highly inaccurate....

MtApoStandard

August 12th, 2006, 10:39 AM

.
July 18 2006

(Business World (Philippines) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Davao City - Another contact center company has indicated plans to put up a facility here after meeting with government officials last week.

Alorica Philippines, Inc, with headquarters located in Chino, California, sent a team to the city last week to assess plans to establish a branch here.

"The company is looking for a provincial location and Davao is its priority area," said Ariel Nengasca of the Department of Trade and Industry regional office. Mr. Nengasca added that the company is also planning to hold a recruitment activity as it is looking for 200 employees to fill its seats in its Manila call center. The company is servicing the technical support of big Japan-based electronics companies, he added.

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Also looking for employees is the Electraserve Phils. whose officials, including head Ken Bone, were also in the city last week. The company has also expressed its desire to set up a call center here provided it can reduce its operational expenses by 20% compared with its Makati operations, said Teolulo Pasawa, head of National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center.

Meanwhile, the lone call center in the city, G-Com, will discuss with schools how they could adopt a curriculum it has developed to prepare college students for call center jobs, said Mr. Pasawa

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/07/18/1719283.htm

.

Christendom

August 12th, 2006, 10:47 AM

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Business process outsourcing companies check out Bacolod

BACOLOD CITY -- Two business process outsourcing (BPO) companies recently sent separate teams to evaluate the capability of this city to host their operations.
One was a medical transcription company while the other was a call center, said councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue.
She declined to identify the companies because they were still evaluating Bacolod as a potential site for their operations.
"There was a group that met with me Friday. They are doing research on the viability of the medical transcription industry here. The question is, can we supply the demand?" she said.
Ms. Batapa-Sigue, who chairs the Bacolod city government’s information technology (IT) focus team, said the group would require personnel who can type fast, are proficient in English and have good listening skills.
"So I am appealing to all our schools to intensify their use of the English language. The demand for medical transcriptionists increases every year and we want to be able to get a number of seats for such demand," she said.
Representatives of another US-based call center company also paid a courtesy call on acting mayor Renecito S. Novero and the members of the IT focus team last week.
"Last Friday, they visited some of the schools and did a random interview with the students and they were impressed [with the students’ proficiency]. They said our students were quite shy but good in English," Ms. Batapa-Sigue said.
The IT focus team earlier said they were targeting to attract US$2-billion worth of IT investments this year.
Recently, the local unit of US-based Teleperformance announced that it was going to open in four months a branch here. -- Robert Leonoras

SOURCE:
http://itmatters.com.ph/news.php?id=012406f

www.metrobacolod.cq.bz
(U/C)

Sera

August 12th, 2006, 10:49 AM

irrelevant...

English proficiency is relevant in the call center industry of the BPO's & rather relevant in the IT industry as a whole because English is the universal language of instruction for IT companies today.

1. Metro Manila 48% of 10 mill = 4.8 mill (advantage in full gov't support)
2. Davao 57% of 1.2 mill = 684,000 (advantage in Man-power)
4. Cebu 70% of 750k = 525,000 (advantage in infrastructure)
3. Cagayan de Oro 57% of 500k = 285,000 (advantage in Local Gov't)
4. Bacolod 63% of 450k = 283,000 (advantage in peace & order)
5. Iloilo 78% of 350k = 273,000 (advantage in int'l exposure)
6. Baguio 62% of 300k = 186,000 (advantage in tourism)
7. Dumaguete 49% of 120k = 58,800 (advantage as University City)

WawaY[625]

August 12th, 2006, 10:54 AM

It's relevant in the call center industry of the BPO's & rather relevant in the IT industry because English manuals are usually referred to in IT:

1. Metro Manila 48% of 10 mill = 4.8 mill (advantage in full gov't support)
2. Davao 57% of 1.2 mill = 684,000 (advantage in Man-power)
4. Cebu 70% of 750k = 525,000 (advantage in infrastructure)
3. Cagayan de Oro 57% of 500k = 285,000 (advantage in Local Gov't)
4. Bacolod 63% of 450k = 283,000 (advantage in peace & order)
5. Iloilo 78% of 350k = 273,000 (advantage in int'l exposure)
6. Baguio 62% of 300k = 186,000 (advantage in tourism)
7. Dumaguete 49% of 120k = 58,800 (advantage as University City)

my point exactly...see? Davao's english literates outnumber the whole bacolod population..BTW davaos pop is now at 1.4mil, so that makes it 798,000

tj_brewed

August 12th, 2006, 10:54 AM

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport2.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport3.jpg

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http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport8.jpg

What is Neo IT?

neoIT is a consulting firm that is singularly focused on helping leading firms improve operations and grow their business by capitalizing on services globalization. Through a blend of strategic advisory services and hands on implementation support, we help our clients meet and exceed their business objectives.

MtApoStandard

August 12th, 2006, 11:10 AM

.

bro tj, i don't believe there are only 2 call centres in davao to date. can you confirm on this please. 911 is a call centre too i believe.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport2.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport3.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport4.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport5.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport6.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport7.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dvoreport8.jpg

What is Neo IT?

neoIT is a consulting firm that is singularly focused on helping leading firms improve operations and grow their business by capitalizing on services globalization. Through a blend of strategic advisory services and hands on implementation support, we help our clients meet and exceed their business objectives.

WawaY[625]

August 12th, 2006, 11:13 AM

yep pero 911 isnt in the same category as people support and convergys..etc..

Christendom

August 12th, 2006, 11:24 AM

Friday-Saturday, November 18-19, 2005 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES

Visayas cities seen as next destination for outsourcing services

BACOLOD CITY -- The cities of Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo and Dumaguete were listed among the potential destinations for outsourcing services outside Metro Manila.
The list was prepared by NeoIT in its study, "Outsourcing to the Philippines: Metro Manila and Beyond," which aims to identify the most attractive destinations for information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing (BPO) services as well as the cities that are likely to emerge as centers of excellence in this field.
Bacolod City Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, chairperson of the Bacolod City Information Technology (IT) Team, said the inclusion of Bacolod in the list should encourage the local government and the private sector to work harder in developing this city into an IT hub.
"We cannot afford to waste time. The momentum we need is here. Our local officials, our schools, our IT professionals and the business sector must join hands to further propel Bacolod’s competitiveness," she said.
In terms of offshore city competitiveness, Cebu topped the list, followed by Davao, Clark, Cagayan De Oro, Iloilo, Bacolod, Baguio, and Dumaguete. The study showed that Metro Manila is still the most popular outsourcing destination in the country. The government, however, is preparing smaller cities for BPO services.
Bacolod ranked second in terms of the financial factor which includes cost of living, cost of doing business and availability and cost of real estate. It ranked fifth in terms of people factor or the size of labor pool, number of tertiary schools, English language proficiency and labor quality.
Another factor in the study was infrastructure, which includes telecommunications, power, airports, and transportation. Also considered were the catalyst factor or government support and initiatives, social and political stability, presence of IT and BPO companies, climate, and key developments catering to the information and communications technology (1CT) industry. -- Robert Leonoras

SOURCE:
http://itmatters.com.ph/news.php?id=111805e

www.metrobacolod.cq.bz
(U/C)

tj_brewed

August 12th, 2006, 11:31 AM

Davao 911 is a callcenter operated and financed by the local government of Davao City. Although it provides employment, it's not part of the "call center industry."

G-Com / CyberCity Teleserv (An american firm) - Provides complete range of CRM services tailored to fit your organizations individual customer service and order center requirements. It is a dedicated CRM center. Services range from the traditional inbound call center services, to web enabled platforms including live help desk support, techsupport e-mail, live chat and browsing assistance 24 hours a day.. Currently it is the biggest call center in Mindanao.

WDC International - WDC Intl Inc is a marketing, manufacturing, and off-shore outsourcing company dedicated to assisting the small and medium sized companies to compete with the large corporations by showing them how to cut cost, and increase productivity by utilizing Asia as their off-shore outsourcing destination of choice.

And there are 5 other small call centers being operated by local (dabawenyo) investors.

We have BPO locators such as:

Nakayama Technological Corp
Menogaya Corp.

Christendom

August 12th, 2006, 11:31 AM

tj_brewed

August 12th, 2006, 11:39 AM

philwily

August 12th, 2006, 01:17 PM

Iba ang nakikita ko, the bigger picture!

Magiging IT HUB nga ang Pilipinas sa daming investment sa probinsiya. Hindi lang Metro Manila ang dinudumog ng BPO. Sana maunahan na ang India.

I agree. That's the spirit. :okay:

The more IT Hubs that get developed, the better. If all the hubs can attract more and more investors and multinational companies, we could race ahead of India in terms of BPO and IT. Not only will the cities hosting these investors and multinational companies benefit from it, but the whole country as well. With proper governance, we can raise the standard of living IMO (but governance is another issue that has/deservers it's own thread... hehe :lol: ).

Forward Philippines with IT. :cheer:

habagatcentral1

August 12th, 2006, 01:26 PM

I agree. That's the spirit. :okay:

The more IT Hubs that get developed, the better. If all the hubs can attract more and more investors and multinational companies, we could race ahead of India in terms of BPO and IT. Not only will the cities hosting these investors and multinational companies benefit from it, but the whole country as well. With proper governance, we can raise the standard of living IMO (but governance is another issue that has/deservers it's own thread... hehe :lol: ).

Forward Philippines with IT. :cheer:

^^ We do have an edge...Call Center agents, you know what I mean. hehehe!

Padayon Pilipinas!

Sera

August 12th, 2006, 01:31 PM

We should fair nicely but comparing the Indian market to the Philippines in terms of IT isn't fair bec. India's population is around 10 times bigger than the Phils. We should first be regionally competitive with our ASEAN neighbors

philwily

August 12th, 2006, 01:34 PM

Here are some of the companies/members of Association of Solution Integrators in Davao:

Blinque
Cerveo
Cube Pixels
Filmindsoft
Hubport Interactive
IDS-Media
Kwik Release
Lane Systems Inc
MTTO Transcriptions
PhilAmerican
Silvercup
SSP Transcript

Just to add, if you want to know more about these companies, you could find the links to the website of the companies through ASID Web Site (http://www.asidph.org/default.aspx). :okay:

chymera00

August 12th, 2006, 02:12 PM

English proficiency is relevant in the call center industry of the BPO's & rather relevant in the IT industry as a whole because English is the universal language of instruction for IT companies today.

1. Metro Manila 48% of 10 mill = 4.8 mill (advantage in full gov't support)
2. Davao 57% of 1.2 mill = 684,000 (advantage in Man-power)
4. Cebu 70% of 750k = 525,000 (advantage in infrastructure)
3. Cagayan de Oro 57% of 500k = 285,000 (advantage in Local Gov't)
4. Bacolod 63% of 450k = 283,000 (advantage in peace & order)
5. Iloilo 78% of 350k = 273,000 (advantage in int'l exposure)
6. Baguio 62% of 300k = 186,000 (advantage in tourism)
7. Dumaguete 49% of 120k = 58,800 (advantage as University City)
So it's Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod and Iloilo. I'll just add that a city's manpower doesn't include the city alone but also neaby towns who are close enough to the city's business districts.

ritche

August 12th, 2006, 02:27 PM

If Dumaguete is better than Davao in the IT industry, what's the proof? 2 multinationals with Davao's 3? 5 IT companies with Davao's close to 20? How could you claim as such?

Does this one show Dumaguete never hoped to grow big as a city? You must be a unique Filipino tribe if your words are to be dignified. Is this the general sentiment of the Dumaguetenos? While the rest of the world scramble to get a piece of development, Dumaguete wants to remain parochial. This is funny.

Peace Bro. for your information, Dumaguete has two universities which are autonomous...Silliman and St Paul U. Foundation University is gearing to be deregulated, and then autonomous. Negros Oriental State U. is topping some government board exams.

And for the numbers, Davao has 1,000,000 plus people, 2 or 3 multinationals. Dumaguete has 103,000, 2 multinationals. In other words, in order for Davao to equal the feat of Dumaguete, it has to have at least 20 multinational corporations. Do you get what I mean?

On being a small city, hmmm, maybe a small city with skyscrapers hehehe :) . Not really big in population, but big in infrastructure and amenities.

We don't really care about surveys as long as we can show that we can do something. We have been a gentle, peace loving city through all these years. After all surveys can be manipulated. You can put us at the last, we are not bothered by that. We are secured in the fact that we were able to attract two multinationals, and many more are coming.

Taz08

August 12th, 2006, 02:55 PM

Bacolod d'bst....[SIZE=6]

Taz08

August 12th, 2006, 03:28 PM

Jimbu

August 12th, 2006, 04:15 PM

Palace exec: ‘Continue improving Cebu’s infrastructure’

Arroyo adviser says other cities catching up

By Regina Aguilar, Wilfredo Rodolfo III
Cebu Daily News
Last updated 05:49pm (Mla time) 08/12/2006

CEBU must continue to improve its infrastructure in order to hold its position as a preferred investment destination for the multimillion dollar business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

According to Presidential Adviser on International Competitiveness Roberto Romulo, Cebu province, promoted as a hub for BPOs, must further improve the quality of its infrastructure as investor interest grows in other parts of the country.

“Congestion is an issue here in Cebu. It's already becoming like Manila,” Romulo told Cebu Daily News.

He said other key places in the country such as Iloilo, Dumaguete, Baguio, and Clark are emerging as equally strong investment sites for BPOs.

In a press briefing about President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Strategic Planning Meeting on Outsourcing held at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa, Romulo yesterday noted Cebu's big advantage to attract BPO investment compared to Manila.

“There’s one key point here, which I’m scared to say because Manila will be mad at me. They speak English here. They speak it better than most other provinces,” he said.

Romulo also lauded the aggressiveness and the proactive work of the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC) led by Joel Mari Yu in enticing investors to come to Cebu.

He also described Cebu's airport facility, processing, and connections to some Southeast Asian countries as “fantastic and worth emulating by other airports in the country”.

[B]With these advantages, Romulo said, Cebu has the largest potential to attract the interest of about 200 chief executive officers of companies worldwide who came here to participate in the on-going 3rd APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Meeting.

Selected top BPO executives yesterday met with the President along with her international board of advisers to help formulate a master plan, which would strengthen the Philippine BPO industry in the international arena.

“Have no fear, you'll have your fair share. More BPO-type operations would surely be here in Cebu,” said Romulo.

Later in a conversation with Cebu Daily News, Romulo, however, said Cebu needs to improve its infrastructure as other key cities in the country start to catch up in getting a chunk of the $100 million BPO industry.

The government chose to focus development initiatives on BPO, a fast growing industry, where the Philippines possess greater competitive advantage such as availability of English speaking human resource.

Romulo said the further growth of the BPO industry, which spans from call center or voice service and medical tourism, among others, would address the country's employment and brain drain problems.

“Someday the BPO industry would bring back a lot of people in the country instead of being migration-oriented,” Romulo concluded.

davaoeagle

August 12th, 2006, 05:07 PM

my point exactly...see? Davao's english literates outnumber the whole bacolod population..BTW davaos pop is now at 1.4mil, so that makes it 798,000

and that explains why call centers flock in Davao to hire for their operations.

davaoeagle

August 12th, 2006, 05:18 PM

Peace Bro. for your information, Dumaguete has two universities which are autonomous...Silliman and St Paul U. Foundation University is gearing to be deregulated, and then autonomous. Negros Oriental State U. is topping some government board exams.

And for the numbers, Davao has 1,000,000 plus people, 2 or 3 multinationals. Dumaguete has 103,000, 2 multinationals. In other words, in order for Davao to equal the feat of Dumaguete, it has to have at least 20 multinational corporations. Do you get what I mean?

On being a small city, hmmm, maybe a small city with skyscrapers hehehe :) . Not really big in population, but big in infrastructure and amenities.

We don't really care about surveys as long as we can show that we can do something. We have been a gentle, peace loving city through all these years. After all surveys can be manipulated. You can put us at the last, we are not bothered by that. We are secured in the fact that we were able to attract two multinationals, and many more are coming.

C'mon bro, get real! You don't care about surveys yet you were laughing from ear to ear with Silliman's snapping the 4th rank in top universities survey. Is this how we take surveys? We embrace them when they recognize our city, we abhor them if we fall short of their standards? How ridiculous!

ritche

August 12th, 2006, 05:39 PM

And what would we do if we top the surveys and suddenly corporations will flock to us, seeing the success of the operations of SPi and Teletech in our soils? You have to know that aside from BPO and callcenters, the IT industry here is already very varied, from medical transcription, animation, web development, software programming, etc., although many of these other fields are still in their infancy. We know where we stand in so far as English proficiency is concerned. Well, we do not dispute the result of that survey. After all, it's very possible that during the survey, most of our people were already working or busy in their studies...Anyway, the race is still on, and there might be surprises later. Only we are very secure and sure where we stand. As you can see, we are the only 'small city' in the list of offshoring ready sites.

davaoeagle

August 12th, 2006, 05:43 PM

MtApoStandard

August 12th, 2006, 07:02 PM

2005 pa to...
guess it will stand as current until they could come up with a new report

.

Dinho

August 12th, 2006, 07:38 PM

I find this rather topsy turvy. I don't even know where you are going with this statement.

deleted

3stan_yu

August 12th, 2006, 08:01 PM

Dinho

August 12th, 2006, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by rusty18
__________________________________________
Oral Proficiency in English
Source: John Clements

Iloilo - 78%
Cebu - 70%
Bacolod - 63%
Baguio - 62%
Cagayan de Oro - 57%
Davao - 57%
Dumaguete - 49%
Metro Manila - 48%

Originally Posted by zyanz
Bacoleños more adept in English than counterparts in Metro Manila

****************************************************

i cant fail to notice the way you react to posts regarding the potential of cities outside your own. why make such comments? im not telling you to stop though, but stating facts and stressing your city's potential is better than dismissing other posts as irrelevant and inaccurate.

i guess this statement by davaoeagle applies to you too...

and so sorry to say this gravy, your posts seem to contradict your signature. (if you really are an atenean)

Thank you for that scolding you gave to those two people. I wrote something earlier but I decided to delete it as I do not want to sink to the level of these guys. I am from Bacolod, but I think I would rate Dumaguete's people as the most highly educated in the Western Visayas. Next would be Bacolod, despite the fact that we don't have as many universities in the whole of the metropolitan area as compared to both Iloilo and Dumaguete... But the thing is, Bacolenos are known to send their children off to university in different parts of the world (including Dumaguete, Iloilo - I studied at CPU & UP, Cebu, CDO, Metro Manila, Australia, UK, USA, and Canada). Iloilo would be the third highest.

Cebu would probably be at par with Dumaguete when it comes to education and english proficiency. As for the percentage given on both Bacolod and Iloilo, I think they would be about the same. The survey probably did not take into account the fact that a lot of Negrense students are studying in Iloilo and may have been part of the survey there. I even think Bacolod has a higher percentage than Iloilo. These call centers and related establishments would not go to Bacolod if it were not so. Bacolod and Dumaguete were not even included in the early list of potential areas for these industries and these companies came over in spite of this lack of exposure for both cities. Even now, the list still makes no mention of Bacolod and yet new ones are set to open in that city.

While I was in Doha, I was able to help some Negrense friends get jobs there. I thought that they couldn't speak good english because they came from poorer families. I never did hear them speak english because we always speak in Ilonggo. I was surprised that when my South African friend told me that he was quite impressed with the fact that my Negrense friends from very poor families could speak good english - albeit a bit slowly and shyly as compared to other Filipinos he knew who came from the national capital and had a difficult time communicating with him. He had always thought that people from any nation's capital city would be better educated.

JustHorace

August 12th, 2006, 08:50 PM

Metro Manila - 48%??? Dami kasing mga coño eh!!

3stan_yu

August 12th, 2006, 09:01 PM

Dinho

August 12th, 2006, 09:16 PM

oh, then i must be sinking to their level? lols! and theyre at it again on the other thread (most promising), instead dismissing, bellitling or criticizing (which i dont find constructive anyway) why cant they just state facts, or at least say something positive out of their place?

Nah!!! You aren't sinking down to their level. To do that, you would need to be the offended and insulted and assaulted and what have you party... Since I'm Bacoleno, I chose to avoid doing just that... Where are you from Tristan?

WawaY[625]

August 12th, 2006, 09:29 PM

oboi

August 12th, 2006, 10:28 PM

Ey! Does the result give me enough reason or authority to bash other people from other cities since I am an Ilonggo? Or yak about this to my neighbors here in Manila? Anyway, most of my neighbors are not Filipinos and majority of which are Koreans... Hehe...

tj_brewed

August 13th, 2006, 03:17 AM

GMA's Cyber Corridor
Dennis Posadas -- itmatters.com.ph
Aug 01, 2006

President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address last Monday talked about the need for a cyber corridor that stretches from Baguio to Davao. Her decision to increase spending for science and technology education will definitely help make it a reality. Although I assume that most of the industries in this cyber corridor will be the job-generating contact center-type BPOs, I will limit my comments to the technology SME component of the cyber corridor.

We really have to be careful about the term ICT. It can mean different things to different people these days. That is why I prefer to use the term technology SMEs or S&T SMEs to describe what my column argues for. For some people, ICT refers to both technology-based businesses and those that use technology as an enabler. A key paradigm shift we need to make, is to be able to distinguish between ICT businesses and ICT-enabled businesses.

True ICT businesses are those involved with the design, production and distribution/marketing of ICT hardware, software and services. For example, companies that design or build chips, design, code and test software, design and test electronic systems, etc. are true ICT companies. These are the Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, etc. of the world.

ICT-enabled businesses are those that use ICT to enable their core business functions. For example, talking to a customer on the phone is ICT-enabled because it uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to enable those calls. Even higher value-added BPO activities are ICT-enabled. Even if an ICT company abroad like Dell operates here, if the business unit that they have set up uses ICT instead of builds it, then it is still an ICT-enabled business.

Let me be clear. I am not knocking any sector to favor another. I am simply making definitions so that we do not lump these two together under the term ICT.

Politicians, policy makers, business executives sometimes make this mistake. Understanding this difference is key to the success of the cyber corridor.

For example, teaching English will not necessarily help make the ICT businesses better just as teaching more science and technology courses will not help make the ICT-enabled businesses better (unless these are outsourced engineering/consulting services).

I suspect that the inspiration for the cyber corridor came from the Malaysia Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). MSC is a 12 km by 50 km zone in Kuala Lumpur that is the cornerstone of Mahathir’s Vision 2020 for Malaysia.

Take note of the geographic size of the corridor vis-a-vis our own proposed cyber corridor.

If we are referring to a cyber corridor composed mostly of BPO/ICT-enabled businesses spread across Baguio, Manila, Cebu, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Davao, etc., then we are well on our way. BPO/ICT-enabled businesses are fantastic job generators, and these types of businesses should definitely proliferate.

But if somewhere in that cyber corridor concept is that of advocating the growth of higher value-added product and service businesses, then we must handle this initiative separately and not lump it in with other initiatives. Businesses like chip design, chip manufacturing, software development, etc. have their own dynamics in terms of their cultural, educational, financial, and other ecosystem considerations. We have to stop doing these trade shows where food franchise SMEs sit side by side with technology SMEs (unless these companies are selling to this sector), and similar "lump them all together" type activities.

One thing we could do, as an extension of the One Town, One Product initiative of the DTI, is to extend this to technology SME’s. I have some rough ideas for where we can hatch specialist areas for particular technologies. Of course, I am not limiting these cities to these technologies alone, but here is where I feel they are strong:

Baguio: chip equipment industry (because of Texas Instruments Baguio)

San Fernando: software and other technologies for the logistics industry

Diliman/Loyola Heights: chip design; embedded software; other sophisticated software; content

Makati/Fort: software for BPO companies; content

Los Baños: biotechnology; medical electronics; software for biotech industry

Alabang/Santa Rosa: test equipment for the chip industry; auto parts; contract electronics manufacturing; software for the electronics and semiconductor industry; content

Cebu: IPv6 Internet; embedded software; content

Dumaguete and Iloilo: software for call centers

Davao: content; software for large plantation-based agribusinesses.

What will eventually make these plans real is if the national/local governments beef up the capability and capacity of their schools in these areas to be able to study, research and eventually build these products and services in their areas.

tj_brewed

August 13th, 2006, 03:20 AM

guys........again, the IT Industry is not concentrated to the callcenter industry alone. Based on the arguments that we have, most of us were focused to the callcenter industry which is (come to think of it) just the tip of the iceberg.

tj_brewed

August 13th, 2006, 03:28 AM

Jobs growth not the only winner from BPO in The Philippines
Fooboo Online

Metro cities outside the capital of Manila are also cashing in on the BPO boom. Among these metro cities, Metro Cebu in Visayas, is the next preferred site for IT investments, including back office services. In fact, Cebu City is positioning itself as an alternative ICT hub in southern Philippines. Cebu currently hosts 12 call centers.

Not to be outdone, Davao has also opened its doors to BPO investors. Merly Cruz, the trade department's director for Region XI, said two BPO companies engaged in the outsourcing of architecture and graphical services have already set up operations.

Nakayama Technological Corp., one of the biggest BPOs in Mindanao, operates in Digos, Davao del Sur while Menogaya Co. runs it's daily services in Davao city. "The information communications technology has been added to the priority industry in Davao," Cruz said. The incentives offered to investors are a sales tax holiday for four years and free processing of local government taxes and fees such as building and mayor's permits.

To prove that companies in Luzon have taken serious note of the skills of the residents in Mindanao, G-Com Asia Pacific Phil., which is a branch of the Cyber City in Clark, had established call center operations in Davao. "It will also start its legal research outsourcing within the year," Cruz said. Cagayan de Oro, another city in Mindanao is home to Link2Support which recently reported that it would develop an additional 800 square meters. floor area for a total of 500 seats.

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 04:23 AM

Thank you for that scolding you gave to those two people. I wrote something earlier but I decided to delete it as I do not want to sink to the level of these guys.

Wow, this one really ticked me off and got me into stitches at the same time. LOL. Who in the world gave 3stanyu aka valium the power to chastize anyone in this thread. If Gravy and I are too low for you to pick up a fight from, you should have just bitten your wagging tongue, YOUR HIGHNESS! You have just waged a war here, DINHO just like you were spraying your pungent-smelling gasses in other threads.

I am from Bacolod, but I think I would rate Dumaguete's people as the most highly educated in the Western Visayas. Next would be Bacolod, despite the fact that we don't have as many universities in the whole of the metropolitan area as compared to both Iloilo and Dumaguete... But the thing is, Bacolenos are known to send their children off to university in different parts of the world (including Dumaguete, Iloilo - I studied at CPU, Cebu, CDO, Metro Manila, Australia, UK, USA, and Canada).

This statement to me is plain humbug, cocky, hyprocrite, pretentious and what have you. The writer seems to be ignorant and childish, insecure and immature. If someone could give this guy some sense into his head. And who is he telling this? Another small man's ego having a grand time here. Really, it made me wanna puke!

Iloilo would be the third highest. I think that Cebu is in an entirely different category. As for English proficiency, my experience tells me that Bacolod would be in a higher position than Iloilo... I did live in both cities and have contact with people from all classes. Even my South African friend told me that he was very surprised that my two friends from very poor families could speak good english - albeit a bit slowly and shyly as compared to other Filipinos he knew who came from the capital and had a difficult time communicating with the rest of the expats.

Again, this is one of those "the-boy-who-cried-wolf" kind of thing. Very irrelevant and again, childish. Whew, why do I even have to dignify this crap! Poor me.

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 04:31 AM

Nah!!! You aren't sinking down to their level. To do that, you would need to be the offended and insulted and assaulted and what have you party... Since I'm Bacoleno, I chose to avoid doing just that... Where are you from Tristan?

Poor guy looking for allies here. LOL

dive-cebu

August 13th, 2006, 04:37 AM

oh, then i must be sinking to their level? lols! and theyre at it again on the other thread (most promising), instead dismissing, bellitling or criticizing (which i dont find constructive anyway) why cant they just state facts, or at least say something positive out of their place?

this is the reason why i spend most of my time here at SSC in our local thread, no headache at all...

nicko

August 13th, 2006, 04:55 AM

start of round 2! fight!.. hehe..;)

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 05:18 AM

start of round 2! fight!.. hehe..;)

It's really fun, I'm having a ball here!

dive-cebu

August 13th, 2006, 05:20 AM

this type of threads are "city vs city" in disguise... just my own thought... i can be wrong!!!

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 05:24 AM

this type of threads are "city vs city" in disguise... just my own thought... i can be wrong!!!

You may be right, but that happens when someone sets it off. Someone must
have been red-handed.

3stan_yu

August 13th, 2006, 05:49 AM

Wow, this one really ticked me off and got me into stitches at the same time. LOL. Who in the world gave 3stanyu aka valium the power to chastize anyone in this thread. If Gravy and I are too low for you to pick up a fight from, you should have just bitten your wagging tongue, YOUR HIGHNESS! You have just waged a war here, DINHO just like you were sraying your pungent gasses in other threads.

now who is valium? im sorry, i am new here, but is this a typically your style? might as well accuse everybody here as valium.........except of course gravy.

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 05:56 AM

now who is valium? im sorry, i am new here, but is this a typically your style? might as well accuse everybody here as valium.........except of course gravy.

LOL, sorry for the slip up there. You look and sound like the guy. I stand by what I said though. No offense.

dive-cebu

August 13th, 2006, 05:56 AM

now who is valium? im sorry, i am new here, but is this a typically your style? might as well accuse everybody here as valium.........except of course gravy.

tristan, in behlaf of these guys who think you are valium, my apologies.. i know you are not valium, i know you're a cebuano... you're new here... you might have a bad impression bout SSC after being mistaken of being valium, the tripper of this thread... hope you won't have that negative impression to this site. you are very welcome in our cebu forums...

lewdsaint

August 13th, 2006, 06:15 AM

That guy is suffering from mental anxiety. That's why his name is an antonym of his illness. :bash:

Don't mind that kind of people.

amigo32

August 13th, 2006, 06:18 AM

hehehe. ayoko nang mang interrupt. ayoko nang mag umpisa ng commercial break. masarap din naman basahin ito. may natutunan din naman ako.

Guys, just calm down. Don't blow your cool.

habagatcentral1

August 13th, 2006, 06:58 AM

Word War 2 again? C'mon people, learn from previous threads! I don't want to see another war brewing with this "City vs City". It's a thing of a past. Lets move on! Be part of helping your city to improve and promote it not compare it with each other?!

OK bros, peace on earth! :banana2:

We're talking IT here, CyberCorridor? CallCenters are not IT, they're just part of it.

rustyboi

August 13th, 2006, 07:36 AM

keep it cool people! :cool:

papable

August 13th, 2006, 07:58 AM

Ideas. Concepts. Defense of one's position in a discourse. Facts and figures. That's what we should be doing here.

Sabagay, Pinoy tayo. Everything is personal. But at least, can we take it all in stride and just show wit, with just a litle sarcasm perhaps?

WawaY[625]

August 13th, 2006, 08:03 AM

rustyboi

August 13th, 2006, 08:11 AM

^^buti pa si Valium, npka tahimik..

WawaY[625]

August 13th, 2006, 08:15 AM

^^ lols so gusto mong sumali si valium?

papable

August 13th, 2006, 08:31 AM

At least I enjoyed his convoluted mixture of english, tagalog, cebuano and ilonggo, and some other words that I really don't know where he got them.

Global Davao

August 13th, 2006, 09:07 AM

hello SkyscraperCity Forumers!
pa plug lang! try to see this video...
Visit Davao!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJJey5tbs-0

tnx

flesh_is_weak

August 13th, 2006, 09:14 AM

whats with all the city vs city thing? we should be united, thats the whole point of IT, to build bridges instead of barriers...

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 10:37 AM

At least I enjoyed his convoluted mixture of english, tagalog, cebuano and ilonggo, and some other words that I really don't know where he got them.

Bro, if you were talking about some words in my postings re: "dunno where he got them" I can lend you some help, if you wont mind, really. lol.

amras

August 13th, 2006, 12:01 PM

ano ba yan, hanggang dito ba naman may politika pa rin... payabangan kung sino ang mas magaling. tapos magrereklamo tayo na napag-iiwanan na tayo ng mga kapitbahay natin... tsk tsk tsk, malala.

WawaY[625]

August 13th, 2006, 12:12 PM

wala naman actually payabangan.me and davaoeagle just like putting things where they should be..esp. if someone posts that they (or their city for that matter) are above another and it isnt true...

amras

August 13th, 2006, 12:18 PM

WawaY[625]

August 13th, 2006, 12:28 PM

katuwaan lang naman..pa-contrabido baga..lols, naah wala namang personalan eh, asaran lang..i know my limits

SamwiseGamgee

August 13th, 2006, 12:40 PM

katuwaan lang naman..pa-contrabido baga..lols, naah wala namang personalan eh, asaran lang..i know my limits

Korek! This is what makes the Forums lively and interesting - the exchange of ideas and opinions. Otherwise the Forums would be sooooo boring... If you just want facts and figures, you can just Google it anytime...

papable

August 13th, 2006, 02:00 PM

Bro, if you were talking about some words in my postings re: "dunno where he got them" I can lend you some help, if you wont mind, really. lol.

I meant Valium. Are you Valium? Are you his factotum? :)

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 06:03 PM

pinatulan nyo naman... alam nyo na ngang hindi totoo. kaya di na natapos-tapos ang usapan. nakakabilib din kasi parang hindi kayo napapagod. pati sa ibang mga political threads, ganyan din ang tema eh

Tama ka pre, some of the postings of guys like DINHO are downright disillusional and he has this habit of lifting his own bench like he's way ahead over us here. So cocky that I was fuming mad reading his narratives. LOL. Sana mauntog siya, ganun!

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 06:07 PM

I meant Valium. Are you Valium? Are you his factotum? :)

Hell no! As you can read in the previous page, I even irked the guy 3stanyu for alluding to him he is Valium - and frankly I don't have high regards for these fellas ( to blatantly put it)

WawaY[625]

August 13th, 2006, 06:13 PM

Tama ka pre, some of the postings of guys like DINHO are downright disillusional and he ha the this habit of lifting his own bench like he's way ahead over us here. So cocky that I was fuming mad reading his narratives. LOL. Sana mauntog siya, ganun!

:rofl:

dabert

August 13th, 2006, 06:24 PM

wow.. leading no where man ni nga thread pr0 lingaw baya ang mga posts.. hehe.., for me, i'd like to see the Philippines as a whole to be the next IT hub in asia with dumaguete, cdo, davao, and iloilo as the catalysts for the IT growth coupled of course with the established hubs in manila and cebu.. go philippines! :D

WawaY[625]

August 13th, 2006, 06:30 PM

Global Davao

August 13th, 2006, 06:32 PM

Para sayo... ang laban nato!

Global Davao

August 13th, 2006, 06:33 PM

dvoeagle... xampre cocky diba madaming manok dun sakanila?! haha
bokbokbak!
hahah

dabert

August 13th, 2006, 06:34 PM

sulong! laban! wag uurong! POSIBLE! :D

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 06:39 PM

dvoeagle... xampre cocky diba madaming manok dun sakanila?! haha
bokbokbak!
hahah

LOL

WawaY[625]

August 13th, 2006, 06:39 PM

LOLS mao na ni ron..haha

Global Davao

August 13th, 2006, 06:46 PM

lagot kau bukas! cguro natulog nyun! anu nanamn kaya ang takbo ng utak nun?

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 06:52 PM

No, he wouldn't retort kay he doesn't want to SINK INTO OUR LEVEL daw. We're too low for him to stoop down to. LOL

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 06:55 PM

lagot kau bukas! cguro natulog nyun! anu nanamn kaya ang takbo ng utak nun?

OMG, my knees are shaking!..lol

Global Davao

August 13th, 2006, 07:00 PM

baka nag levitate... haha

Global Davao

August 13th, 2006, 07:01 PM

ingit k lng cguro dvoeagle kac d m yun kaya! ahahah

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 07:11 PM

ingit k lng cguro dvoeagle kac d m yun kaya! ahahah

yeah, di ko kaya to linger in the ivory tower. While others relish it, I'm scared of heights kasi eh.

3stan_yu

August 13th, 2006, 07:15 PM

............ at biglang naging walang kwenta ang thread na ito, chatroom?

davaoeagle

August 13th, 2006, 07:28 PM

AHEM!

amigo32

August 14th, 2006, 12:18 AM

lessons learned:

1. paano galitin ang ibang forumers.
2. paano manalo sa isang debate. (wala namang nananalo)
3. mahal na mahal ng mga forumers ang kani-kanilang ciudad.
4. walang nagagalit, nagpapaliwanag lang.
5. maraming genius dito.
6. at nagiging chatroom daw ito. hehehe

FrancisXavier

August 14th, 2006, 03:14 AM

Hmmm...as usual, this is like city vs city again... And a forumer from BCD is again among the reasons. You know who he is.

WawaY[625]

August 14th, 2006, 03:25 AM

ok..sige ceasefire na... lets infuse a new discussion to this thread (na on topic)

Christendom

August 14th, 2006, 08:44 AM

IT schools in Negros Occ.

FIFTEEN colleges and universities in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City formed the Information Technology Schools Network (ITS-NET) as initiated by Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, chair of the Bacolod City IT Focus Team.

Batapa-Sigue said ITS-NET was established to comply with the prescribed requirement of Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) for the city's application to become an IT enterprise.

"We organized among schools for the purpose of accessing information and technical knowledge for Bacoleño students," the councilor said.

The colleges and universities include the:
Mt. Carmel College in Escalante City
Fellowship Baptist College in Kabankalan City
Colegio de Sta. Rita in San Carlos City
Silay Institute in Silay City
Binalbagan Catholic College in Binalbagan City
University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos in Bacolod City
Bago City College in Bago City
Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod
La Consolacion College, La Carlota City
Visayan Maritime Academy in Bacolod City
Carlos Hilado Memorial State College in Bacolod City
AMA Computer College in Bacolod City
West Negros College in Bacolod City
La Carlota City College in La Carlota
John B.Lacson Colleges Foundation-Bacolod.

"These schools pledged to work together toward the goal of preparing a competitive and highly-efficient human resource pool as requirement of IT locators before they invest in an area," said Batapa-Sigue in a meeting with the deans, faculty members and department heads of the said schools.

The meeting was called by the Bacolod IT Team Human Resource Committee headed by Dr. Elsa Coscolluela of USLS and Fr. Emilio Jaruda, Jr., OAR of UNO-R.

Jaruda initiated the meeting as president of Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural and Educational Association (NOPSSCEA) and the Association of Colleges and Universities in Negros Occidental (Acuno).

"For several years, courses such as Bachelor of Science in Information Technology or Information Management are already offered by our local schools.

We simply need to adapt to or keep abreast with the requirements and demands of the IT industry by re-designing or reinforcing the existing curriculum or offering new courses," Batapa-Sigue disclosed.

She added that their initial plans is to complete the information required by Peza in the "Make IT Bacolod" website.

SOURCE:
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2005/11/03/news/it.schools.in.negros.html

www.metrobacolod.cq.bz
(U/C)

davaoeagle

August 14th, 2006, 09:07 AM

scratching my head! lol

rage@cebu

August 14th, 2006, 10:33 AM

Bakit hindi IT ang pinag-uusapan dito?...

hay naku! mga taong walang magawa...

mga insecure... especially if they think that their cities are being ******

WAG NYO NA LANG PATULAN KUNG NA-IINCITE KAYO!

we're here to promote our cities not fight...

sinamak

August 14th, 2006, 02:19 PM

Thank you for that scolding you gave to those two people. I wrote something earlier but I decided to delete it as I do not want to sink to the level of these guys. I am from Bacolod, but I think I would rate Dumaguete's people as the most highly educated in the Western Visayas. Next would be Bacolod, despite the fact that we don't have as many universities in the whole of the metropolitan area as compared to both Iloilo and Dumaguete... But the thing is, Bacolenos are known to send their children off to university in different parts of the world (including Dumaguete, Iloilo - I studied at CPU & UP, Cebu, CDO, Metro Manila, Australia, UK, USA, and Canada). Iloilo would be the third highest.

Cebu would probably be at par with Dumaguete when it comes to education and english proficiency. As for the percentage given on both Bacolod and Iloilo, I think they would be about the same. The survey probably did not take into account the fact that a lot of Negrense students are studying in Iloilo and may have been part of the survey there. I even think Bacolod has a higher percentage than Iloilo. These call centers and related establishments would not go to Bacolod if it were not so. Bacolod and Dumaguete were not even included in the early list of potential areas for these industries and these companies came over in spite of this lack of exposure for both cities. Even now, the list still makes no mention of Bacolod and yet new ones are set to open in that city.

While I was in Doha, I was able to help some Negrense friends get jobs there. I thought that they couldn't speak good english because they came from poorer families. I never did hear them speak english because we always speak in Ilonggo. I was surprised that when my South African friend told me that he was quite impressed with the fact that my Negrense friends from very poor families could speak good english - albeit a bit slowly and shyly as compared to other Filipinos he knew who came from the national capital and had a difficult time communicating with him. He had always thought that people from any nation's capital city would be better educated.

here in place most of the professional are ilongo a real native of iloilo but i never incounter negrense. in fact most of ncr are always asking me why are ilongos (not negrosanon) are fluent in English and they seldom meet or not at all Ilongos that are not professional. Nurses the most, engineers and if not technical people, mostly working in hospitals.

I have friend from Samar working in hospital and he has a collegue who just joined their team and when i asked him about the guy, what he replied is "wag mo ng sayangin ang oras mo sir, tikalon yan, from bacolod" say mo?

dont speak too loud, we know it. there are only two kinds of people in negros do i need to say more?

valium

August 14th, 2006, 02:22 PM

now who is valium? im sorry, i am new here, but is this typically your style? might as well accuse everybody here as valium.........except of course gravy.

tristan, i am valium, and you are right, these people always do this thing, accuse someone of being me everytime somebody is being critical with their posts, but i think we do look the same, save for my shaven head. its very sad to see really, why they make such a big fuss everytime a place they find "threatening" could develop in areas like IT, could be insecurity? your guess is as good as mine. if you happen to read posts by forumers here "having usernames synonymous with their locality" they dont even present facts and figures about their place, much less a news article why their place should be an IT hub, tj_brewed is very much different from their tribe. he posted a well presented article, but about the others? nothing! they just posted illiterate comments about other places, being critical without really being constructive. all at the expense of "having fun" which i find rather more like a childs play, quite childish to put it. i dont want this post to be ot so my choices would be bacolod, CDO and dumaguete as the most promising IT hubs, and these places will be joining the league of the established (but congested) hubs of manila and cebu. the rest still has to establish themselves and put on a strong roadmap for their IT development.

habagatcentral1

August 14th, 2006, 02:32 PM

Hard. Reality. Endless, reality does bite so hard sometimes, isn't it?

We all have dreams. The day that a human being stops dreaming is the day he dies.

We all wanted to be progressive. We all wanted to be uplifted from pverty. IT is one of the solution to end poverty.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN SUCH ONLY PLACES ARE RIGHTLY CHOSEN TO BE AN IT HUB. I BELIEVE THIS IS FOR EVERYONE ELSE HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES!

SamwiseGamgee

August 14th, 2006, 02:47 PM

nicko

August 14th, 2006, 02:51 PM

davaoeagle

August 14th, 2006, 06:07 PM

davaoeagle

August 14th, 2006, 06:38 PM

tristan, i am valium, and you are right, these people always do this thing, accuse someone of being me everytime somebody is being critical with their posts, but i think we do look the same, save for my shaven head. its very sad to see really, why they make such a big fuss everytime a place they find "threatening" could develop in areas like IT, could be insecurity? your guess is as good as mine. if you happen to read posts by forumers here "having usernames synonymous with their locality" they dont even present facts and figures about their place, much less a news article why their place should be an IT hub, tj_brewed is very much different from their tribe. he posted a well presented article, but about the others? nothing! they just posted illiterate comments about other places, being critical without really being constructive. all at the expense of "having fun" which i find rather more like a childs play, quite childish to put it. i dont want this post to be ot so my choices would be bacolod, CDO and dumaguete as the most promising IT hubs, and these places will be joining the league of the established (but congested) hubs of manila and cebu. the rest still has to establish themselves and put on a strong roadmap for their IT development.

Scouting for allies? You should give me credit for sticking your name to whoever he is for this collusion between you and him. (lol) Well, as usual you show up in here wearing your monolithic gear.

I suggest you hold down your nerves first and read the previous post so carefully before you dole out a mouthful. I'd be patient this time though to walk you thru it with little time I got now.

You said illiterate comments, insecure with smaller cities, childish, etc? How in the world can we in Davao be so insecure with Dumaguete when to me, our Tagum is even better looking than it is. Yes they do well as far as IT and we have no problem with that. We only became enraged when RITCHE desecrated our city with his comments that we are not at par with their city and that Davao/Mindanao is a den for terrorists (something to that effect) when he could have just said hey, IT in Dumaguete is flourishing and we are this and that sans the mention of the weakness of any city for that matter.

We come in full battle gear when we are under attack and that is typical of Davaoenos, and we don't have to ram it down your throat, but beware. There's a handful of us here so expect more people to be jumping on you if you are not careful with what you write about our place. We don't start it, we just bring it to its destination.

You said we are not supplying facts? Well, everyone has his forte here. TJ, Junax and Philwily are very much immersed in the IT sector so that's their dapartment.

If you peruse his postings and I know you have the luxury of time, please do so and you don't even have to boggle your mind when reading as the guy just writes so subjectively and often without basis. Bear with the topsy turvy style though and squint your eyes a little when you do.

LordCarnal

August 14th, 2006, 06:59 PM

here's a quote from a SSC member from Germany posted exactly a year ago:

Originally Posted by richard fischer
what is this all about? i thought filipinoes stick together, instead they envey eachother for "better buildings" and "booming basics". gosh how low can you sink.....
you should be proud of all progress everywhere in the country.

and here's a reply by another forumer which I guess applies to almost everyone here:

@richard : i guess the bickering goes back to the fact that a lot of the members on the provincial fora are energetic (if not emotional) young people who still have to explore the oft quoted idea of "unity in diversity". i guess this has always been the downfall of the filipinos, sad to say

valium

August 14th, 2006, 07:28 PM

Scouting for allies? You should give me credit for sticking your name to whoever he is for this collusion between you and him. (lol) Well, as usual you show up in here wearing you monolithic gear

valium doesnt need an ally, not like you who work with a supposedly "atenean" the twin blah blahs from the land of promise.

I suggest you hold down your nerves first and read the previous post so carefully before you dole out a mouthful. I'd be patient this time though to walk you thru it with little time I got now.

never in my ssc days did i lost my nerves, much less because of people from a place synonymous with your username??? and i dont need a person of your low calibre to walk me down through whatever you are talking about. and fyi, i do not just post something without reading the history of the thread. i may not always log on to ssc but i am a frequent visitor.

You said illiterate comments, insecure with smaller cities, childish, etc? How in the world can we in Davao be so insecure with Dumaguete when to me, our Tagum is even better looking than it is. Yes they do well as far as IT and we have no problem with that. We only became enraged when RITCHE desecrated our city with his comments that we are not at par with their city and that Davao/Mindanao is a den for terrorists (something to that effect) when he could have just said hey, IT in Dumaguete is flourishing and we are this and that sans the mention of the weakness of any city for that matter.

now you need to be "walked down throught it" read the previous posts why you seem so insecure with small cities getting big with IT. read the kind of posts that your twin blah blah from mt. apo is posting, read all your reaction. its simple, you just cant accept the fact that small cities like bacolod, dumaguete, cdo and iloilo are getting ahead of your city in terms of IT, which is really the main topic of the thread anyway. and so what if they mentioned the weakness of the city, it doesnt give you the right to bash, dismiss or bellitle their development, why not post something to contradict the kind of post that irked you in the first place? are you not good in finding a contradicting article or a constructive dismissal from the post? or are you just good at bashing and dismissing without creating a positive momentum on your side? and if you find the post desecrating, why in the world dignify such post? reacting to it will just create fire, fire that will consume you both, in the end, you are both losers.

We come in full battle gear when we are under attack and that is typical of Davaoenos, and we don't have to ram it down your throat, but beware. There's a handful of us here so expect more people to be jumping on you if you are not careful with what you write about our place. We don't start it, we just bring it to its destination.

full battle gear? typical of davaoeños? oh ok, so fine! its just so funny to note that you said you are a handful here, when in fact, open-minded davao based forumers here doesnt even care about whats written at all, they know where to stand, now let me count your "handful" one.... two... TWO! and what destination? the next IT hub? bring me back to the topic! heh.

You said we are not supplying facts? Well, everyone has his forte here. TJ, Junax and Philwily are very much immersed in the IT sector so that's their dapartment.

and theyre a part of your handful? these guys are mature and decent forumers, they know when to open and shut their mouths, and its their department, the IT, right? thats interesting to note that people who are not really IT based are the ones blabbering down to their lungs, which in the end are simple blah blahs, since only these guys (TJ, Junax and Philwily) are the ones who know the real score of IT develoment in davao. none of them said that davao is this and that compared to that place, they just stated simple facts, without really engaging in illiterate and immature verbal tussle, or undermining any city for that matter.

WawaY[625]

August 14th, 2006, 07:39 PM

coutesy of markiiboi

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/3917/cgarkifi7.jpg

Title: Proposed Iloilo IT Center
Client: City Government of Iloilo
By Winston Z. Ariza of T-SQUARE Designs

valium

August 14th, 2006, 09:32 PM

Real estate developments and IT
By Janette Toral
Digital Filipino

While validating my outsourcing destination matrix report with DigitalFilipino.com club members in Davao, Cebu and Cagayan De Oro, we realized the challenges in front us of that needs to be dealt with at the earliest time.

Davao, despite being an early player in the outsourcing scene, is continuously being left behind by provinces, in terms of locator investment, in different parts of the country. This is because of the lack of buy-in by the real estate sector in their city. Up to this time, there’s no IT (information technology) park or IT zone in Davao City.

From what I was told, an IT park or zone is farfetch for several reasons. First, many people who own properties and buildings in the city have left already and migrated to another country.

They usually just come home to check on their property, pay real estate and building taxes. But they have no intention to sell or develop the land.

As a result, there’s no momentum to follow-through what the IT sector and government have started.

The Davao IT sector used to provide advice to nearby cities like Cagayan de Oro. Those in Cagayan de Oro certainly picked up the advice and have moved forward.

Cagayan De Oro City is the first location in Mindanao to have an IT park where incentives can be applied by its respective locators. Unlike in Davao where the number of IT players is gradually increasing, the IT industry in Cagayan de Oro is very much in its infancy stage where the formation of an IT association will take time. Like Davao, Zamboanga and General Santos City, it has to contend with the predicament of being located in Mindanao.

It takes a lot of convincing for a prospective client to visit the place. Some who do are so paranoid that they always look around, wary that some bad elements will stop by and abduct them.

Although there are properties being developed in these cities for IT parks, there’s no ready-made facility to prod investors to simply make a decision to go and occupy the place. The real estate players in Mindanao have to move fast in developing their areas or they’ll end up missing plenty of opportunities.

As I mentioned last week, Cebu’s main challenge is also the availability of office space, although this is now being addressed by some property developers.

Where space is not available, Iloilo provided a reasonable alternative with a significant number of manpower resource to back-up the location. In fact, it appears now that Iloilo is becoming Cebu’s formidable competitor in attracting locators.

The recent blackout further emphasized the need for a location like Cebu to have its own or alternative source of energy.
Perhaps it is time also for the Cebu community to decide on how much it wants to grow without endangering its environment to waste, traffic and power management.

Meanwhile, locations in Mindanao and new outsourcing destinations have to figure out their vision, what their goals are.

Cebu has already identified Bangalore, India as its benchmark in developing its information and communication technology sector as early as two to three years ago. How about the rest?

Despite these problems, there’s much to be happy about in the development of outsourcing in the Philippines. These problems are now part of the growing pains of the industry and they all present opportunities.

it is interesting to note that the very same issues tackled in that news article are the same issues being discussed in the previous posts, re: davao's lack of locators due to lack of an IT zone, CDO's and iloilo's formidable development in IT and bongalore as cebu's benchmark.

Global Davao

August 14th, 2006, 10:07 PM

Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Davao's ICT sector still vibrant: trade department

THE regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Southern Mindanao stressed that Davao City's information and communications technology (ICT) sector is still very vibrant.

DTI regional director for Southern Mindanao Merly M. Cruz said such claim is evident in the desire shown by two United States-based call center companies to locate in the city.

Cruz added that the opening of two medical transcription (MT) schools recently is one more concrete indication of the industry's good performance. MT is another field in the ICT industry that has high potentials.

The opportunities in the ICT industry is enormous such that cyber services sector is expected to generate a total of 981,000 jobs and contribute US$11.7 billion in total revenue to the national economy by 2010, Cruz said.

"Davao Region alone is anticipated to rake in additional P1 billion in investments by 2010. Of this figure, 16,000 new jobs will be created," she said.

With the Davao Region Industry Cluster Plan, which is drafted and adopted by the Regional Development Council (RDC), Cruz is optimistic these targets will be attained.

The Davao Region Industry Cluster Plan serves as the roadmap for the eight priority sectors of the region, to wit: banana, mango, coconut, seaweed, wood, mining, eco-tourism, and ICT.

"In the plan, we can already get the necessary information that will help the concerned public and private stakeholders implement initiatives together in boosting the eight industries," she said.

davaoeagle

August 15th, 2006, 05:04 AM

valium doesnt need an ally, not like you who work with a supposedly "atenean" the twin blah blahs from the land of promise.

That's not what your postings are showing here. And really, you need to cajole them to at least get a support here. You have such a very bad public persona here and no amount of playing underdog can whitewash it. Why do you score him (GRAVY) on his being an Atenean when it has not something to do with his opinions. He's now out of the school's corridor and whatever behavior he is showing here is his own, much like your school is under no obligation to check on how you behave in this forum.

never in my ssc days did i lost my nerves, much less because of people from a place synonymous with your username??? and i dont need a person of your low calibre to walk me down through whatever you are talking about. and fyi, i do not just post something without reading the history of the thread. i may not always log on to ssc but i am a frequent visitor.

I was just suggesting you review the pages for you might have missed out on something. I was saying RITCHE came from out of the blue brandishing the inroads of Dumaguete in IT industry. It was written with good intention in the beginning but turned very ugly when he demolished Davao by bringing up about issues on terrorism and insurgency. To me, that was completely unnecessary and appropriate reaction/answer was.

You call me person of low caliber? I'm not here to prove to you otherwise and that's not big deal to me. What are your accomplishments in the first place. What have you done for your city/barrio? You don't even represent any city. Are you scared to reveal your place of origin? And judging from the avatar (and you have the nerve to show your face) you look like you're in a death row.

now you need to be "walked down throught it" read the previous posts why you seem so insecure with small cities getting big with IT. read the kind of posts that your twin blah blah from mt. apo is posting, read all your reaction. its simple, you just cant accept the fact that small cities like bacolod, dumaguete, cdo and iloilo are getting ahead of your city in terms of IT, which is really the main topic of the thread anyway. and so what if they mentioned the weakness of the city, it doesnt give you the right to bash, dismiss or bellitle their development, why not post something to contradict the kind of post that irked you in the first place? are you not good in finding a contradicting article or a constructive dismissal from the post? or are you just good at bashing and dismissing without creating a positive momentum on your side? and if you find the post desecrating, why in the world dignify such post? reacting to it will just create fire, fire that will consume you both, in the end, you are both losers.

Now you're calling me a basher. Between me and you, you have more explaining to do in this forum than I do. Remember this moniker so akin to your persona: TRIPPER, BASHER, GAGO, etc. I didn't even utter those lowly names for I can use more hard-hitting ones. Those came from your legions of nemesis here. In my case, I call a spade a spade and do it in a no holds-barred fashion to those who cast a dagger look towards me.

full battle gear? typical of davaoeños? oh ok, so fine! its just so funny to note that you said you are a handful here, when in fact, open-minded davao based forumers here doesnt even care about whats written at all, they know where to stand, now let me count your "handful" one.... two... TWO! and what destination? the next IT hub? bring me back to the topic! heh.

Different strokes for different folks. It's not within my advocacy to behave like a copycat. I am my own person and I speak my mind. The other Davaoenos here have their own style as well and they have every right to stick to that while I embrace my own. They might be a little bit yielding in their rebuttal but that is solely their choice. I was brought up and schooled to think and speak critically and I like it just the way it is.

Your valium dose has a lingering effect and so you missed my point about destination. I have no patience for idiots, so i'll let it pass.

and theyre a part of your handful? these guys are mature and decent forumers, they know when to open and shut their mouths, and its their department, the IT, right? thats interesting to note that people who are not really IT based are the ones blabbering down to their lungs, which in the end are simple blah blahs, since only these guys (TJ, Junax and Philwily) are the ones who know the real score of IT develoment in davao. none of them said that davao is this and that compared to that place, they just stated simple facts, without really engaging in illiterate and immature verbal tussle, or undermining any city for that matter.

Again, your teeny-weeny brain missed the big picture here. It does't take an engineer to build a house much like I don't have to delve into IT to know the goings-on in the sector. I read every bit of news about Davao and the Philippines as whole and no outsider (read: non-Davaoeno) can beat me about anything pertaining to it (read: Davao). I live half of the world apart from it but I am fully abreast of its day to day occurences.

It's one thing for a city, big or small, to boast about its victories, it's another when they rejoice at the expense of another. And one thing, If you chose to open up a can, be ready to see a monster inside it. I hope you are able to pick this one up.

davaoeagle

August 15th, 2006, 05:19 AM

it is interesting to note that the very same issues tackled in that news article are the same issues being discussed in the previous posts, re: davao's lack of locators due to lack of an IT zone, CDO's and iloilo's formidable development in IT and bongalore as cebu's benchmark.

No amount of sweet talk will dispel your ugly attitude here, valium. They are not your lapdogs.

davaoeagle

August 15th, 2006, 06:36 AM

rage@cebu

August 15th, 2006, 06:42 AM

Do we need to dignify this kid's comment? Sayang and oras mo. LOL

Kawawa naman.... sayang ang oras ko....

I agree Mr./ Mrs. davaoeagle... I'm just a kid....

no problem.... I'm cool....

**GUYS, MATATANDA LANG BA ANG PWEDE SA SITE NA TO?**

just asking kasi meron yatang senior citizen dito?....

*** INSECURE YATA****

rage@cebu

August 15th, 2006, 06:51 AM

Again, your teeny-weeny brain missed the big picture here. It does't take an engineer to build a house much like I don't have to delve into IT to know the goings-on in tha ssector. I read every bit of news about Davao and the Philippines as whole and no outsider (read: non-Davaoeno) can beat me about anything pertaining to it (read: Davao). I live half of the world apart from it but I am fully abreast of its day to day occurences.

I read all things about cebu day to day; night to night...
I don't brag that I know everything bout my place...

sorry wag mo na lang akong patulan....

I'm just a kid... tiny brains...

I don't need to brag all my accomplishments in this city.... :bash:

davaoeagle

August 15th, 2006, 06:52 AM

Kawawa naman.... sayang ang oras ko....

I agree Mr./ Mrs. davaoeagle... I'm just a kid....

no problem.... I'm cool....

**GUYS, MATATANDA LANG BA ANG PWEDE SA SITE NA TO?**

just asking kasi meron yatang senior citizen dito?....

*** INSECURE YATA****

Asa mainsecure sa imo? Luoda sab tawon sa nawong nimo Dong, Ikaw tong fatso sa picture unya nakapalda? LOL. Hala mura man to ug kargador sa pier, he he.

davaoeagle

August 15th, 2006, 06:54 AM

Maayo pa uli na lang sa balay nimo unya pagtuon ug maayo kay mahal ang bayad sa tuition. Luoy pud imong mga ginikanan. lol.

habagatcentral1

August 15th, 2006, 06:56 AM

Now I see...

The Downfall of the Filipino Nation... :cry:

One of the reasons why the country hasn't been moving away from poverty...

Pen (or in this case, the keyboard) is mightier than the sword. Now I see...

And I regret to say this because it is a hard fact that I've observed here in this thread and the other. :sly:

rage@cebu

August 15th, 2006, 06:57 AM

Asa mainsecure sa imo? Luoda sab tawon sa nawong nimo Dong, Ikaw tong fatso sa picture unya nakapalda? LOL. Hala mura man to ug kargador sa pier, he he.

I'm just a kid... fatso... unya kargador pa gyud....

hehehe.... luoya gyud nako....

****NOW I THINK WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU ARE*****

"you only judge things by what you see... you can't see what's behind it"

davaoeagle

August 15th, 2006, 06:58 AM

Maayo pa mouli ka na lang sa balay ninyo aron magtuon ug maayo kay mahal kaayo ang tuition karon. Ayaw sige ug tambay diha sa internet shop, ayaw sige latagaw.

davaoeagle

August 15th, 2006, 07:00 AM

I'm just a kid... fatso... unya kargador pa gyud....

hehehe.... luoya gyud nako....

****NOW I THINK WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU ARE*****

"you only judge things by what you see... you can't see what's behind it"

Unsa may akong tan-awon behind it daw? Ingon ka insecure ko sa imo, ako lang gipasabot nimo ngano dili ko insecure sa imo.

Ikaw man ang nanghagit sa ako diri. Nikalit lang ka ug abot unya pasaring na pud ka. Balo na man ka nga markado na ka daan sa imong gibuhat sa Davao thread.

rage@cebu

August 15th, 2006, 07:02 AM

Maayo pa mouli ka na lang sa balay ninyo aron magtuon ug maayo kay mahal kaayo ang tuition karon. Ayaw sige ug tambay diha sa internet shop, ayaw sige latagaw.

usika diay nako kwarta... tagai ko beh...

I'm just a kid who doesn't know what's happening around... hahaha....

luoya nako... ngano nasaag man ko sa SSC.... tambagi ko manong/ manang..

habagatcentral1

August 15th, 2006, 07:03 AM

People...

We're talking about IT here in the Philippines

Sa PM ra nyo na ipadayon.

Thanks! :)

davaoeagle

August 15th, 2006, 07:05 AM

That kid apologized to me thru PM the last time, now he comes rushing in to spite me again. Walang magawa sa palda niya errr..sa buhay niya. lol

rage@cebu

August 15th, 2006, 07:05 AM

People...

We're talking about IT here in the Philippines

Sa PM ra nyo na ipadayon.

Thanks! :)

sorry bai... dili nako post dri.. nga irrelivant... sorry au...

rage@cebu

August 15th, 2006, 07:16 AM

By Regina Aguilar, Wilfredo Rodolfo III
Cebu Daily News
Last updated 05:49pm (Mla time) 08/12/2006

CEBU must continue to improve its infrastructure in order to hold its position as a preferred investment destination for the multimillion dollar business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

According to Presidential Adviser on International Competitiveness Roberto Romulo, Cebu province, promoted as a hub for BPOs, must further improve the quality of its infrastructure as investor interest grows in other parts of the country.

“Congestion is an issue here in Cebu. It's already becoming like Manila,” Romulo told Cebu Daily News.

He said other key places in the country such as Iloilo, Dumaguete, Baguio, and Clark are emerging as equally strong investment sites for BPOs.

In a press briefing about President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Strategic Planning Meeting on Outsourcing held at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa, Romulo yesterday noted Cebu's big advantage to attract BPO investment compared to Manila.

“There’s one key point here, which I’m scared to say because Manila will be mad at me. They speak English here. They speak it better than most other provinces,” he said.

Romulo also lauded the aggressiveness and the proactive work of the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC) led by Joel Mari Yu in enticing investors to come to Cebu.

He also described Cebu's airport facility, processing, and connections to some Southeast Asian countries as “fantastic and worth emulating by other airports in the country”.

With these advantages, Romulo said, Cebu has the largest potential to attract the interest of about 200 chief executive officers of companies worldwide who came here to participate in the on-going 3rd APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Meeting.

Selected top BPO executives yesterday met with the President along with her international board of advisers to help formulate a master plan, which would strengthen the Philippine BPO industry in the international arena.

“Have no fear, you'll have your fair share. More BPO-type operations would surely be here in Cebu,” said Romulo.

Later in a conversation with Cebu Daily News, Romulo, however, said Cebu needs to improve its infrastructure as other key cities in the country start to catch up in getting a chunk of the $100 million BPO industry.

The government chose to focus development initiatives on BPO, a fast growing industry, where the Philippines possess greater competitive advantage such as availability of English speaking human resource.

Romulo said the further growth of the BPO industry, which spans from call center or voice service and medical tourism, among others, would address the country's employment and brain drain problems.

“Someday the BPO industry would bring back a lot of people in the country instead of being migration-oriented,” Romulo concluded.

To subscribe to the Cebu Daily News newspaper, call +63 2 (032) 233-6046 for Metro Manila and Metro Cebu or email your subscription request here.

Copyright 2006 Cebu Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

h3nry

August 15th, 2006, 07:20 AM

This is not a Philippine Skyscraper forum but rather
a philippine City debate. : (

rage@cebu

August 15th, 2006, 07:24 AM

This is not a Philippine Skyscraper forum but rather
a philippine City debate. : (

sorry bai... promise di nako mu-usab...

chixbebe

August 15th, 2006, 07:33 AM

THE next three years will be lucrative for IT vendors and service providers in the Philippines with IT spending expected to grow by a compounded rate of 10.4 percent annually through to 2010, according to the latest study by IDC Market Research Sdn Bhd (Malaysia), a wholly owned subsidiary of the US-based global IT intelligence firm International Data Group.

In a statement, IDC Market Research said that its study showed that hardware centricity was one area with large growth potential in the country, "owing to the fact that a large proportion of the population has yet to adopt or fully implement IT."

The hardware segment will account for 67 percent of the total sales in the Philippine IT market this year, and PCs, networking hardware, printers, and smart handheld devices will likely be at the top of the demand list, it said.

According to the same study, services will be the second-largest growth area, as it is expected to account for 22 percent of the total market.

The software segment is expected to garner 11 percent, the study said.

Spending on these segments will be driven by the rapidly growing IT infrastructure requirement for information and data security and for more complex IT management processes, IDC Market Research said.

It said 2005 saw major shifts in the IT spending level in the Philippines, with the industry growing 20 percent to $1.4 billion after reaching $1.0 billion in 2004.

Commenting on the IDC Market Research report, IDC Philippines senior analyst Jubert Daniel Alberto said in a statement, "The relative under-penetration of the country bodes well for IT vendors and service providers in the Philippines ... over the next five years, providing room for business growth and addressable opportunity."

IDC Market Research said companies wanted to achieve a higher level of business efficiency so they could offer product innovations and remain competitive.

Demand from the communications and media, banking and hi-tech manufacturing industries will still heavily shape the IT spending landscape in the country, it added.

http://business.inq7.net/money/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=15283

valium

August 15th, 2006, 08:10 AM

one person here seems to engage in tussle with so many forumers. all at the excuse of "defending" davao. defend? youre giving davao a BAD name!

valium

August 15th, 2006, 08:14 AM

Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Davao's ICT sector still vibrant: trade department

still? like it was put on doubt? oh yah, brag about that!

valium

August 15th, 2006, 08:18 AM

davaoeagle

August 15th, 2006, 08:30 AM

one person here seems to engage in tussle with so many forumers. all at the excuse of "defending" davao. defend? youre giving davao a BAD name!

whatever you say dude!

rage@cebu

August 15th, 2006, 09:59 AM

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j93/ragandacmichael/Picture016.jpg

this is the view from our house...

boju

August 15th, 2006, 10:12 AM

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j93/ragandacmichael/Picture016.jpg

this is the view from our house...

Haay salamat, sa wakas nakakita na ko ug skyscraper, abi nako ug nanglupad na ng mga hi-rise building....

LordCarnal

August 15th, 2006, 04:58 PM

amigo32

August 16th, 2006, 12:13 AM

boju

August 16th, 2006, 01:16 AM

Simulan nyo na... :cheers:

rage@cebu

August 16th, 2006, 01:23 AM

Simulan nyo na... :cheers:

ROCK ON!

junax

August 16th, 2006, 03:42 AM

ok... coast is clear?

philippine ICT against the world? let's try asia first... i guess lalaban tayo sa india in the future. i know every philippine city has its own IT dreams but as far as the queen of pasig river is concerned, here's the latest article.

ICT CHIEF NAMED CYBERSERVICES CORRIDOR CHAMPION

President Arroyo designated CICT Chairman Ramon Sales as champion for cyberservices corridor, one of the super regions identified in her July 26 State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Sales informs that “CICT will continue to pursue a breakthrough value proposition for the ICT industry.” As the cyberservices corridor’s primary objective is “to boost telecommunications, technology and education,“ CICT takes the lead in addressing the need to develop competencies English, enhance skills in ICT among others, in the areas covered by the Corridor.

The Philippine cyberservices corridor project is three-tiered and will be located primarily in places that have strategic ICT plans in place. First tier is Metro Manila, Sta. Rosa, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao.

The second tier includes Baguio, Poro Point, Dagupan, Tarlac, Batangas, Lipa, Legazpi City, Naga, B, Tacloban, Iloilo, Duamguete, Cagayan de Oro, and Gen. Santos City while the third tier includes Cabanatuan, Tuguegarao, Tagbilaran, Puerto Princesa, Iligan, and Zamboanga.

At the Cabinet Assistance System meeting held in PMS yesterday, Sales distinguished between the Philippine cyberservices corridor from the Cybercorridor found in Mexico and India. He explained that the “programs in the Cyberservices corridor include those that are to be implemented by the various government agencies like the Departments of Education and the Trade and Industry, the Commission for Higher Education (CHED) and the TESDA.” These programs will be focused on education, promotions, career advocacy and training in the areas of IT network and project management, finance and accounting, engineering and other related services, as well as cross-discipline areas of expertise.

As champion of the cyberservices corridor, Sales is responsible to oversee the implementation of the programs mentioned. Other champions for the super regions are Presidential Management Staff chief Arthur Yap for North Luzon, Subic Clark Alliance for Development chairman Ed Pamintuan for Metro Manila Urban Beltway, Tourism Secretary Joseph \"Ace\" Durano for Central Philippines, and Peace Process Adviser Jesus Dureza for Mindanao.

source: http://www.ict4d.ph/news/view.php?id=271&PHPSESSID=472401273653d1011b0b3761b901387a

philwily

August 16th, 2006, 06:03 AM

I have a suggestion...

In order to foster unity among the Filipinos, why don't they instead make a thread like this:

1.) Next IT Hub in SouthEast Asia (Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, etc?)

or

2.) Which country in SouthEast Asia has the best cities?

For sure the Filipinos would be united in defending the country against the others.. Hehehe.. Who knows, our cities might end up being the best in Southeast Asia. Hehehe..

Panalo na tayo, India lang ang rival natin eh.

Well, in terms of software, embedded, mainframe, etc. development, I think Japan, Singapore and Malaysia are currently among the top countries, with China catching up fast. But they do lack contact centers as opposed to India and the Philippines (which I think is an advantage because we have more variety in our IT sector). India I think is still tops, with our country not lagging too far behind. But with such enthusiasm and passion among our people (the forumers here for example) with regards to IT, I really think that we can scale greater heights and become a true IT powerhouse in the region. :cheer:

I agree with one post about having the different cities have different IT fields concentration. With that, we will avoid competing with cities in our own country, but rather we will see cities working hand-in-hand to promote IT in the Philippines. If that happens, the Philippines, as a whole, can now claim to be an IT Hub. Philippines as an IT Hub in Asia? Now, that's a vision all IT enthusiasts should be excited about. :okay:

Note: I kind of thought Asia, not South-East Asia. hehe :lol:

tj_brewed

August 16th, 2006, 10:23 AM

Philippines as an IT Hub
Source (http://www.outsourceit2philippines.com/articles-outsource/investing-outsource-philippines.htm)

Investing in the Philippines

The Philippines represents an enormous opportunity for investment for companies who take the time to check out what this country has to offer.

The Philippines is open to foreign investment and is committed to the liberalization of the service sector in accordance with WTO guidelines. Indeed the Philippines was one of the founding members of the World Trade organization. We offer special incentives to companies that invest into priority areas as designated by the government.

We have a skilled workforce that has been educated with English as the primary means of instruction. The overall literacy rate of the population is above 94% and among college graduates more than 99% have a professional proficiency in English. What is more our people speak English as one of our national languages making them oral/aural proficient. This is especially important in call center and customer support operations. The Philippines is already excelling in these areas.

We have a government that is committed to growing the IT services industry and which offers attractive investment incentives to companies setting up here.

We have an exchange rate that makes both real property and employment highly affordable for those companies who want to get in on the ground floor and know the bargain that we offer.

Our cities and our lifestyle are designed for relaxed living. Whether you are in Manila, or the other major urban centers of Cebu City or Davao you will find modern well-equipped cities with facilities designed for international living and at highly affordable prices.

Finally we can offer you the Philippines: A beautiful country that is a paradise for those who love the outdoor life. We have golf courses that are world class, dive sites all over the country for those who like the water, unspoiled beaches for those who just want to relax - and all at very affordable prices. For the sophisticates we have fine dining with the best the world has to offer. We have world-class entertainment at the National Cultural Center and in major provincial centers

Importantly, we have superb international schooling in Manila and at all major centers including the Subic and Clark special economic zones. Our international education is world class and several offer the international baccalaureate program as part of their curriculum.

Investing in the IT Sector

Knowledge based industries are rapidly replacing traditional manufacturing as the growth engine of the 21 st century and the Philippines is well paced to take advantage of the shift. The Philippines has been cited as "the world's top source of knowledge workers" according to Meta Group's Global New E-Economy Index (GNEI). This is based on criteria such as the availability of qualified engineers and ICT workers.

"The 'knowledge jobs' category of the Global New E-Economy Index (GNEI) is one of the indicators of a country's IT-readiness and capability." This sector is growing rapidly in the Philippines and key “cluster industry centers” are already emerging in Manila, in Cebu and in a number of the PEZA investment zones.

In relation to the IT sector, the current Investment Priorities Plan Special sets out those areas covered by special investment incentives. These include:

• ICT services: applications development (system software, middleware, application software and application systems);

• ICT enabled services: business process outsourcing (BPO) including customer contact centers, content creation, distance learning, market research, travel services, finance and accounting, human resources and other administrative services such as purchasing and where these can be transformed and delivered through the ICT infrastructure.

• ICT support activities including pure research and development, education and training for ICT, incubation centers for ICT projects and community access facilities.

Investment Incentives

Under the Omnibus Investments Code, an investor may enjoy certain benefits and incentives, provided he invests in preferred areas of investments found in the current Investment Priorities Plan (IPP). The IPP, issued annually by the Board of Investments (BOI), is a list of promoted areas of investments eligible for government incentives in consultation with related government agencies and private sector.
An enterprise may still be entitled to receive incentives even if the activity is not listed in the IPP so long as:

• At least 50% of production is for exports, if Filipino-owned enterprise; and

• At least 70% of production is for exports, if majority foreign-owned enterprise (more than 40% foreign equity), The BOI in certain instances as indicated in the IPP may completely or partially limit the incentives available to export products. Under Book I of the Omnibus Investments Code, BOI-registered enterprises are given a number of incentives in the form of tax exemptions and concessions. These are

• Fiscal Incentives

• Non-Fiscal Incentives

• Incentives for Regional Headquarters and Regional Operating Headquarters in the Philippines Full details of the incentives available can be obtained from the Board of Investments website. These include:

• A 4 – 8 year income tax holiday (ITH) depending on the size and nature of the investment;

• A special 5% tax rate after the lapse of the ITH;

• Tax and duty exemption on imported capital equipment;

• Unrestricted use of consigned equipment;

• Additional deductions for training expenses;

• Additional deductions for labor expenses;

• Exemption from wharfage dues, duties and other fees and charges;

• Ease of employment of foreign nationals.
There are a number of local service companies who can provide specialized advice in this area. :)

tj_brewed

August 16th, 2006, 10:28 AM

The Philippines Competitive Advantage: IT Services Hub of Asia
Source (http://www.digitalfilipino.com/busstrat_article.cfm?id=30)
by: Janette Toral

Five years ago, the Philippines, through the Department of Trade and Industry, began its "Make IT Philippines" campaign and packaged the country as "E-Services Hub of Asia."

The Philippines is one of the most aggressive country players in targeting the outsourcing market in USA, Europe and neighboring Asian countries. Its positive track record in back-office services was used in marketing the country - unleashing a best kept secret.

Worldwide spending on BPO services is expected to grow to US$1.2 trillion in 2006, according to International Data Corp. Estimated revenue in Philippines today is pegged at US$2.3 billion. We are more than ever challenged by international competition. As globalization and the borderless economy emerge, the battle for the foreign investment cake and outsourced projects are fierce.

From trade missions to outsourcing exhibitions, the Philippines wave the flag in Asia, Europe, and USA to announce the Philippines outsourcing pitch.

As a country, we are strategically located and our time zone allows a 24 hour work shift compliment to Western countries with its 13 to 15 hours time zone difference. We are accessible by air within four hours to any Asia capital such as Japan, Korea, and Singapore. Companies that have partners or location in the Philippines can maintain round-the-clock work progress. The country is very democratic and most liberal in terms of press freedom in Asia.

Telecommunications Infrastructure

The liberalization of the Philippines' telecommunications infrastructure paved the way for affordable cost of Internet access and similar facilities. E1 connections are available from the US to the Philippines at US$2,000 per month. There are at present 11 international carriers, 5 nationwide cellular operators, 5 nationwide long distance providers. The country has a capacity of 10 million phone lines where 3.5 million of such is in use. Cellular phone subscribers increased to 33 million from 9 million in 2002. To add, the Philippines was dubbed as the SMS text messaging capital of the world whose volume of messages remains one of the highest in the world.

Digital microwave radio system, digital fiber optic network, broadband network is also laid out to cover almost every major city in the country.

Human resource

The most important asset that the Philippines has to showcase to the rest of the world is its people and being the 3rd largest English-speaking country in the world. The educational system of the country was set up by the Americans when the Philippines was still a colony from 1898 up to 1945. From entering kindergarden to college, the medium of educational instruction is American english. This resulted to the Filipinos excellent grasp of the English language that has remained the medium of instruction from pre-school up to post-graduate universtiy.

More than 95% of Filipinos are Catholic and is the only Catholic dominated country in Asia. Filipinos value college education highly and is considered as an important legacy that a parent can give to children. Our Spanish and Asian upbringing makes the Filipino naturally hospitable, caring, peaceful, and with a patient temperament.

The country produces 380,000 college graduates a year. Around 70,000 thousand are in the information and communications technology field and around 105,000 in IT-enabled accounting and finance field. The educational institutions in the country are striving to remain updated with the latest technologies in order to produce competent workforce.

The Filipino worker is a seeker of job security and puts high importance to career growth. Has excellent work ethic - loyal, polite, and respectful to its superiors. They are flexible in working hours and views responsibility as an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills. Outsourcing Record

More than 8,000 companies have been outsourcing knowledge based work to the Philippines such as America Online, Andersen Consulting, Barnes and Noble, Caltex, Citibank, Fluor Daniel, Manulife, Morgan Stanley, Northwest Airlines, Procter and Gamble, People Support, to name a few.

The country has always been utilized as well for business process outsourcing where you'll find companies doing litigation support, travel services, insurance processing, scholarly publishing, financial services content conversion, loan processing, and other shared services, to companies such as Elsevier Science, Blackwell Science, Microsoft, Nature Publishing, Lexis-Nexis, AIG, International Red Cross, AlItalia, Great Plains Software, Fujitsu, Accenture, Headstrong, NEC, Simteria, Trend Micro Labs, Sea Land, among others. Creative cartoon and animation work are also done in the Philippines from major studios such as Hanna Barbera, Disney, Cartoon Network, Toei, Dreamworks, Pixar, and Warner Brothers. Some popular animation work done in the Philippines includes Flinstones, Atlantis, The Incredibles, Dragon Ball Z, Iron Giant, Lilo & Stitch, among others.

Contact or call center sector is currently the fastest growing sector in the country employing nearly 80,000 personnel. Its estimated target revenue in 2005 is US$1 billion from US$800 million in 2004. Some of the big names in this sector are PeopleSupport, Convergys, Sykes, eTeleCare, among others.

Incentives

The government also has various initiatives and incentives to attract US companies to put their offshore offices in the country. Cost of operating business in the Philippines can contribute 35% to 50% cost savings compared to US business operations cost. Although doing business in the country may not necessarily be the cheapest in the world, but offers high quality resource that can be relied upon. Expatriates also finds the Philippines quality of life to be very attractive where at present, more than 100,000 of them are living here.

Value of labor in the Philippines is not the cheapest in the region but with the Filipino's inherent cultural advantage, it has become the preferred choice. Software developers with 1 to 3 years experience are paid from US$300 to US$700 per month. Call center operators are paid from US$200 to US$700 per month excluding incentives.

The Department of Trade and Industry I.T. Business Plan identified six priority areas and niches for promotion that includes contact centers, business process outsourcing, software development, animation, medical transcription, and engineering design.

To spark its growth, the Investments Priorities Program (IPP) of the government was revised to cover IT and IT-enabled services and ICT support services located either outside of Metro Manila or in identified I.T. hubs. Incentives are regularly reviewed and updated to encourage the flow of foreign and domestic investment in the country.

Incentives include: 3 to 6-years income tax holiday (ITH) for IT projects; tax and duty exemption on imported capital equipment; tax credit on the purchased component of locally-produced equipment; additional deduction on labor expense and infrastructure works; net operating loss carry over; accelerated depreciation; deferred imposition of 2% minimum corporate income tax; and investment/reinvestment tax allowance. For service exporters, ecozone/freeport enterprises: 4 to 8 years income tax holiday (ITH); special 5% tax rate after the lapse of ITH; tax and duty exemption on imported capital equipment; unrestricted use of consigned equipment; additional deduction for training expenses; deduction for labor expenses; exemption from wharfage dues and any export tax, duty impost and fees; permanent resident status for foreign investors and immediate family; employment of foreign nationals; and simplified custom procedures; exemption from 10% input VAT on allowable local purchase of goods and services.

For regional operating headquarters: only 10% tax payment on taxable income; exemption from contractor's tax; exemption from local licenses, fees, dues and imports or any other local taxes and burden except from real property tax; and tax and duty-free importation of training materials and equipment without prior BOI approval.

Legislation

The country also has an E-Commerce Law or Republic Act 8792 that will protect the interest of outsourcers and I.T. foreign investors in ensuring that thereï¿½s a legislation that they can fall back on, in case thereï¿½ll be legal disputes. Furthermore, the law has been tested and was used to successfully convict a hacker lately.

At present, numerous guidelines are being developed to further provide clarification on the scope of the E-Commerce Law. At the same time, government agencies are mandated to implement e-commerce and to issue guidelines, after proper public consultation, to facilitate the delivery of frontline services using e-commerce.

On the right track

The emphasis right now is to push all outsourcing players in the country to fulfill and deliver the requirements they committed to their clients.

ergit222

August 16th, 2006, 12:08 PM

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/CGArki.jpg
A project of the city government of Iloilo

rage@cebu

August 16th, 2006, 01:59 PM

IT mall and School....

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j93/ragandacmichael/IMAG1164.jpg

dabert

August 16th, 2006, 03:07 PM

Go Philippines! In a few years, we will be the envy of southeast asia..! :D

tj_brewed

August 17th, 2006, 06:49 AM

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/ergit222/CGArki.jpg
A project of the city government of Iloilo

Nice design! cool and funky!

LordCarnal

August 17th, 2006, 11:10 AM

^^

nice IT Center in Ilo-ilo... I see that this IT Center is a project of the city government.. I hope that the private sector will be more active too because the financial capital to build such really lies in them.

LordCarnal

August 17th, 2006, 11:13 AM

Note: I kind of thought Asia, not South-East Asia. hehe :lol:

IT Hub of the World.. :cheer: :cheer:

sandrin

August 17th, 2006, 12:26 PM

German software firm eyes RP as Asian launch pad
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 00:45am (Mla time) 08/17/2006

Fritz & Macziol (FUM), a business software system integrator based in Ulm, Germany, is looking into a regional presence in Asia through its first Asian office in Philippines.

The company’s presence in the Philippines was due to a major value-added service deal with French cement giant La Farge, which has a presence in the Philippines.

Nonetheless, the company is looking into the growing IT infrastructure build-up among telecommunications providers, contact center operators, process manufacturing plants, financial and banking industries in the Philippines.

FUM Asia, headed by former Lotus and IBM executive Victor Angelo Silvino, was formed in early July and already has 15 employees.

Silvino told reporters that the Philippines has potential in providing services on a regional scale. Among these are in project management, staff augmentation and software development.

Specific plans for regional expansion could be ready two months before the end of the year.

“We’re looking into that opportunity to go regional but now we’re focusing on providing services for the local market,” Silvino said.

Despite coming in late in the value-added service and systems integration business in the Philippines, Silvino said he is confident of the potential for their services in the Philippines especially as enterprises are starting to consolidate disparate IT infrastructures.

Silvino said they are aiming to become a choice IBM partner in the Philippines and the top IBM solutions partner by 2009.

The company provides IT equipment from IBM and software such as Lotus, Tivoli and VMWare, as well as in-house VAS application development.

Last July 27, FUM merged with Dutch IT services provider ImTech N.V., which significantly expands FUM’s portfolio of services specifically on IT solutions.

dabert

August 17th, 2006, 01:46 PM

^^ IT Hub of the universe.. lupig pa ang mga aliens.. hahaha.. :D

nicko

August 17th, 2006, 03:33 PM

lolness!..

nicko

August 17th, 2006, 04:11 PM

Dinho

August 17th, 2006, 05:20 PM

http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/2537/picture0047ru.jpg

this is where TELETECH dumaguete is currently and temporarily holding its operations as its own building is still underconstruction at dumaguete business park..

Could you post a picture of the construction site and perhaps a rendering of the structure. Thanks.

nicko

August 18th, 2006, 06:29 AM

sure.. i just hope i can get some shots since i rarely pass by south road where dgte business park is located.. the last time i passed by, the building is almost done.. it was just having some fnishing touches and some landscaping being done.. coffee said that teletech will be officially using their new building by sept or october.. the current building they are in is owned by DCDB and its getting a bit crowded so i think they cant stay long there..

h3nry

August 18th, 2006, 07:14 AM

We Filipinos love to dubbed ourselves, Why should we look on our own figures and inprove our
selves against our own

rooster2369

August 19th, 2006, 07:19 AM

OT but maybe useful:

List of Dell laptop batteries recalled

Dell Inc. is recalling battery packs made for the following models of notebook computers that were shipped between April 2004 and last month:
Dell Latitude D410, D500, D505, D510, D520, D600, D610, D620, D800, D810.

Dell Inspiron 6000, 8500, 8600, 9100, 9200, 9300, 500m, 510m, 600m, 6400, E1505, 700m, 710m, 9400, E1705.

Dell Precision M20, M60, M70, M90.

XPS, XPS Gen2, XPS M170 and XPS M1710.

The batteries were also sold separately for $60 to $180, including to customers on service calls.

Each battery bears an identification number on a white sticker. Customers should have the number handy when they call Dell to learn if the battery is covered by the recall.

The company planned to launch a Web site, http://www.dellbatteryprogram.com, at 1 a.m. CDT on Tuesday. Customers can also call a toll-free Dell number, 1-866-342-0011, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT.

Dell said the notebooks can be safely used on an A/C power cord if the battery is removed first.

Dell recall stems from production flaw

DALLAS - Dell Inc.'s record-setting recall of 4.1 million notebook computer batteries raised safety concerns about the power source of countless electronic devices, but experts said the problem appears to stem from flaws in the production of the laptop batteries, not the underlying technology.

Customers began calling the company and surfing to a special Web site Tuesday to order replacements for the lithium-ion batteries that could cause their Dell machines to overheat and even catch fire. The batteries were supplied to Dell by Japan's Sony Corp

Lithium-ion batteries are not only used to power laptops, but also digital cameras, music players, cell phones and other gadgets.

Dell, the world's largest PC maker, announced the recall Monday night with the Consumer Products Safety Commission. It was the largest electronics-related recall involving the federal agency.

The batteries were shipped in notebooks sold between April 1, 2004, and July 18 of this year. They were included in some models of Round Rock, Texas-based Dell's Latitude, Inspiron, XPS and Precision mobile workstation notebooks.

Replacement orders would be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, said Dell spokesman Ira Williams. He said he couldn't estimate how long customers would have to wait for new batteries, adding that it could vary by model.

The replacements are coming from Sony and a handful of other battery manufacturers.

Rick Clancy, a Sony spokesman, said the company has "taken steps to address the situation ... to Dell's satisfaction." He declined to elaborate on what the company has done to fix the problem.

Lithium has been replacing nickel-cadmium and other materials for batteries used in a range of electronic devices since the early 1990s. The smaller, lighter batteries produce more power to drive increasingly demanding gadgets, such as laptops with high-resolution screens.

Battery packs contain cells of rolled up metal strips. During the manufacturing process at a Sony factory in Japan, crimping the rolls left tiny shards of metal loose in the cells, and some of those shards caused batteries to short-circuit and overheat, according to Sony.

Roger Kay, an analyst with Endpoint Technologies Associates, called the situation "a nightmare for Sony" but said the recall wasn't likely to scare manufacturers away from using lithium-ion batteries.

"Well-made lithium-ion batteries are perfectly safe," he said. "This is a manufacturing problem and not an indictment of lithium-ion technology."

Still, there have been previous reports of problems with lithium-ion batteries. Last year, Apple Computer Inc. recalled batteries made by South Korea.

And in 2004, the Federal Aviation Administration banned shipments of lithium batteries from the cargo holds of passenger planes because of a potential fire hazard, when they're shipped in bulk. Passengers, however, are still allowed to carry laptops or cell phones on planes.

FAA spokeswoman Tammy Jones said the agency is continuing to review the possible hazard.

It was unclear whether Dell's problem would spread to other PC makers. Sony supplies battery cells for its own notebooks and those of other computer manufacturers.

The configuration of cells differs from one manufacturer to another, but the building blocks — the cells, which resembled small rolled up sheets of metal — are the same, according to Sony.

Sony provides battery components for other computer makers, including Lenovo Group Ltd., which said it gets a "handful" of reports each year of overheated batteries but does not plan a recall. Spokesman Bob Page said Lenovo's machines have other features, including software that disables the machine if it detects unsafe conditions.

Dell has been using Sony battery parts longer than other manufacturers, and Lenovo and others may eventually develop similar problems, Kay said.

Apple, which analysts say also uses Sony battery cells, said it was investigating the situation. Hewlett-Packard Co. said it does not use Sony batteries and was not affected by the recall. Fujitsu said it builds its own batteries.

Dell has not given an estimate for the recall's cost but said it won't materially affect the company's financial results, which suggested that Sony would bear most of the cost. Analysts' estimated the recall could run $200 million to $400 million.

Investors brushed aside the news, pushing up shares of both Dell and Sony in Tuesday trading.

Dell shares rose 84 cents or 5 percent, to close at $22.08 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, and Sony shares gained 62 cents to close at $45.43 on the New York Stock Exchange.

The bigger issue, analysts said, is the possible effect on Dell's and Sony's reputations.

Cindy Shaw, an analyst with Moors & Cabot, said the recall could steer consumers away from Dell at back-to-school time. She also said business customers might not be forgiving.

At lunchtime Tuesday, a handful of customers browsed through Dell's first store, in an upscale Dallas mall. Dale Topham, a Dallas resident who was picking up a repaired computer, said the recall wouldn't make him less likely to buy another Dell.

"I don't worry because they're trying to take care of it," he said.

Dell and Sony both ranked among the most trusted consumer technology companies, according to a 2005 survey by Forrester Research.

But Forrester analyst Ted Schadler said the recall could depress notebook sales to businesses if the fire hazard causes regulators to ban the machines from planes.

rey_84

August 22nd, 2006, 04:54 PM

hehe..nice thread...regarding dell..they have an in house call center in makati...

ritche

August 22nd, 2006, 05:08 PM

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/8940/phcci1jm1.jpg
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/2493/phcci2qh0.jpg
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/8695/phcci3rp3.jpg

An "intelligent building" in Dumaguete which would very well qualify to be in the IT Park...

WawaY[625]

August 22nd, 2006, 05:20 PM

^^ i like the design...

ritche

August 22nd, 2006, 05:28 PM

^^ i like the design...

All telecoms and network cables are hidden, and very much ready for broadband. Uses a lot of natural light, and very stunning at night...The globe, I think, symbolizes the global outlook of this company and all people from Dumaguete. It is indeed a sight to behold, especially at night when the lights are on.

death327

August 22nd, 2006, 09:34 PM

I was able to read a report consolidated by 2006 Asia Pacific Council for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business... and here's their recommendation:

Locations with Good Infrastructure, according to industry players:

Within Metro Manila – Makati City, Quezon City, Ortigas Center, Muntinlupa,Taguig particularly Fort Bonifacio.

Outside Metro Manila – Cebu City, Clark Special Economic Zone, Baguio City,
Davao City. Slowly catching up as preferred locations are Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo City and Dumaguete City, Morong, Bataan.

If you would like to read the whole report you can download it from this link:

http://www.afact.org/group/application/afact/2006AFACT/pdf/(4)%20Country%20Reports/7-p113_p134-2006%20Report-Philippines.pdf#search=%22BPO%20Iloilo%22

philwily

August 23rd, 2006, 06:07 AM

^^ - Great article.

:okay: "...integrate all government agencies into a single VoIP network down to the barangay level"

I didn't know other 3g licenses have already been awarded. Digitel and CURE have been quiet about it, but if they want to get a chunk out of Smart and Globe's subscribers, they should be more aggressive with their 3g campaign. Maybe they'll offer unlimited video calls. :yes:

WawaY[625]

August 23rd, 2006, 02:25 PM

davaoeagle

August 23rd, 2006, 06:50 PM

That was what I wa contesting with Ritche before. That says it all for Davao inspite of the absence of an IT Park. Peace!

death327

August 23rd, 2006, 09:48 PM

Having an IT Park or Building is not really a major indicator of the competitiveness of a city in the ICT arena. The overall ICT infrastructure and the cost of business I think matter most.

tj_brewed

August 23rd, 2006, 10:41 PM

Kudos to all Philippine Premier Cities for their thrusts to become IT Hubs in the country, thus realizing our country's goal to become the IT HUB of Asia

tj_brewed

August 23rd, 2006, 10:44 PM

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/DAVAO/kadayawan/IMG_0345.jpg
On going construction | PeopleSupport Davao

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/DAVAO/kadayawan/IMG_0348.jpg
4 storey facility located in Davao's Chinatown | G-Com Ltd a subsidiary of CyberCity Teleserv Limited.

tj_brewed

August 23rd, 2006, 10:55 PM

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/DAVAO/IMG_0457.jpg

Landco Corporate Tower located within Pryce Business Park, Davao. Home of the following IT firms:

- 3G Communications
- Lane Systems
- Moscom Davao
- Smart Communications Davao
- Davao First Transcription Center Corporation
- Mynd Consulting
- etc.

tj_brewed

August 23rd, 2006, 11:17 PM

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/technotrade.jpg
Techno Trade in Agdao, Davao || Home of Hubport Interactive (www.hubportinteractive.com)

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a340/tj_brewed/dabo4.jpg
Ateneo De Davao University || One of the three sites identified for the Silicon Gulf Diamond Initiative

amigo32

August 23rd, 2006, 11:49 PM

Wow! Davao, lots of BPO/outsourcing investments.

I am happy for you guys.

amigo32

August 23rd, 2006, 11:52 PM

lols davao doesnt even have an IT park...IMHO DC isnt above but at the same level (or a little lower) of ITness as CDO and bacolod..(ooops my davao drinking budies will kill me for this..lols)

but then wala naman talaga ako kamuwang muwang sa IT IT na yan

Si gravy na walang kamuwang-muwang. :) LOLS.

valium

August 24th, 2006, 01:20 AM

Having an IT Park or Building is not really a major indicator of the competitiveness of a city in the ICT arena. The overall ICT infrastructure and the cost of business I think matter most.

good morning soul, im so sorry i wasnt able to reply to your recent PM.

IMHO, having an it park, zone, or even just an accredited it building is important, and it somehow boils down to the infrastructure and the cost of business. since having an accredited IT structure means that the area meets the required capacity in infrastructures. a zone cannot be declared an IT zone (or an IT park) if it did not meet standard requirements (set by the government) of an IT facility. and it also comes in relation with the cost of business since being in an IT zone means the investor will have perks and exemptions. if davao in this case is comfortable without having a declared IT zone, then so be it, but we can never see davao's full potential in IT development if these kind of zones are not seen in the future.

death327

August 24th, 2006, 02:09 AM

good morning soul, im so sorry i wasnt able to reply to your recent PM.

IMHO, having an it park, zone, or even just an accredited it building is important, and it somehow boils down to the infrastructure and the cost of business. since having an accredited IT structure means that the area meets the required capacity in infrastructures. a zone cannot be declared an IT zone (or an IT park) if it did not meet standard requirements (set by the government) of an IT facility. and it also comes in relation with the cost of business since being in an IT zone means the investor will have perks and exemptions. if davao in this case is comfortable without having a declared IT zone, then so be it, but we can never see davao's full potential in IT development if these kind of zones are not seen in the future.

Hi valium... how are you? That's fine. :)

Anyway, regarding the IT competitiveness of one city, I am not sure what would be the impact of having an IT zone/park. It may boost the potential of the city/place to attract more investors in this kind of business because of the tax holidays, infrastructure savings, etc... However, I just realized that it's not the IT park/zone that matters....this time, as I have assessed your comments, it dawned to me that the important factor in this kind of industry is "human resource" or "manpower"....what are we going to do with It zones if we dont have people to go there and work there?

Also, as far as I know, the IT business niche is a complicated web of business baselines, IT park or zone may be one of the aspects but it is not the only aspect that can provide an edge in the ICT arena. Each aspect should be weighed equally and considerably before a certain place can maximize ICT economy. These aspects may include: (a) ICT infrastructure (including IT zone); (b) Human resource; and (c) Local and National government.

Anyway, I am not an IT analysis after-all, so I think it all depends on the strategies that may be applicable to a certain city - as my conclusion. Like in Iloilo, no matter how many IT zones or IT parks we may have if we are still haunted by routinary brownouts and electric problems then I think nothing will happen in our ICT economy. The city needs to resolve Energy infrastructure first before "she" can fully engage "herself" in the ICT arena.

We will never know... once we have not achieved the status of Manila in this kind of business.... afterall IT zones came lately in the history of the call center industry.

rustyboi

August 24th, 2006, 02:50 AM

^^actually, IT zones came before the call center industry. there are a lot of established IT companies that have been operating in the Philippines. because they're low profile, as if they don't exist at all. and that explains why we seem to think that IT is just new here. thanks to outsourcing companies (partly lang) and the government, the visibility of IT world in the country has magnified. and the IT industry as a whole has a very bright future. very very promising :okay:

death327

August 24th, 2006, 02:58 AM

I believe that those are not called as IT zones yet... they are under the special economic zoning or export processing zone of the country. The booming of call center industry gave way to the creation of IT zoning in the Philippines. I believe so... but not sure about this speculation... need to research on when the It zoning in the country was ratified.

rustyboi

August 24th, 2006, 03:07 AM

^^hmmm, you're referring to the term "IT zone" pala... interesting. yup you're right, special economic zones exist ten years ago pa. but i think the recent certification for IT zones still uses the term "special economic zone", as far as i could remember. not sure though.

death327

August 24th, 2006, 03:23 AM

tj_brewed

August 24th, 2006, 03:28 AM

I just checked the website of PEZA and I found out the IT Park/s and Building/s zoning was ratified/approved on December 29, 2000. Special Economic Zones was created on 1995. And under this resolution, technically speaking we only have three categories of Special economic zone: (a) Industrial Estate; (b) Export Processing Zone and Free Trade Zone. Later they added IT Zoning maybe due to the emergence of Call center industry. During the early 1990's we have already several call centers oprating here in Manila like Nextel.

Source: http://www.peza.gov.ph/about_peza.htm
http://www.peza.gov.ph/registration_itp.htm
http://www.chanrobles.com/specialeconomiczoneact.htm

But with Cebu's case, Asiatown IT Park, the first PEZA Registered IT Zone outside of Metro Manila had been established even before the callcenter wave hit Cebu. It was originally constructed for software developers, content developers and other IT related firms. The first locators were NEC, Tsuneishi, Globe Telecom, NCR, and Epson.

tj_brewed

August 24th, 2006, 03:37 AM

death327

August 24th, 2006, 03:47 AM

Basically that's right... but we are focusing here in the emergence of IT parks/IT zones in the ICT Economic Niche of the country. Techically, economic importance of callcenters in the country started in 2000 almost all of them concentrated in Manila. From the data starting 1990-1999 they found out that there was a great leap in the growth trend of this industry and eventually... along the growth of this industry is also the growth of IT industry... callcenters and contact centers need E1 and T1 lines, switches, computers, telephony systems, internet connections, etc... thus leading to the growth of IT industry as whole... thats why the govenrment initiated a special economic zones for this phenomena.

In Cebu... the early emergence of IT zone vs the emergence of call center might maybe indirectly due to the growth of contact and call centers in Manila. Afterall, Asia Town was created two years after the creation of IT Park/IT Zones registration... still few years after the emergence of call centers in the Philippine as a whole.

About Asiatown

"Cebu Property Ventures & Development Corporation. The Company's principal activities are carried out through the following business segments: Land and residential unit sales includes the sale of lots at the information technology park under Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and sale and development of residential units; Rentals involves the operation of an information technology park under PEZA and Others includes interest income from short term investments. At 31-Dec-2002, the Company owned and manages the Cebu Business Park, a 50-hectare business and commercial subdivision in Cebu City and Asiatown I.T. Park, a 24-hectare prime property for civic, business and commercial development complementing the Cebu Business Park. The Company is 76% owned by Cebu Holdings Inc. Land and residential unit sales accounted for 70% of 2002 revenues; rentals, 20% and others, 10%. "

tj_brewed

August 24th, 2006, 05:56 AM

Kudos to all of the cities which are working hard to develop their place as IT hubs of the Philippines. Together, we can make this country the IT Hub of Asia.

In Davao, here are one of the efforts made:

Davao ICT Incubation Center

Brokenshire Learning Systems, Inc. a subsidiary of Brokenshire College in partnership with 3G Communications International, Inc. inaugurated recently Mindanao’s First “Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Incubation Center located at Madapo Hills, Brokenshire College Compound in Davao City. Said ICT Incubation Hub is envisioned to generate new ICT businesses in the city by helping them jumpstart in their businesses. Situated in a sprawling 1,000 square meter land, the center provides free facilities for start-up ICT entrepreneurs such as programmers, software developers, animators and graphic designers who intend to develop their products for commercial purposes. The center will initially accommodate up to eight (8) start-up technology companies.

The project aims to attract location or relocation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and push for their speedy growth within 1 to 3 years incubation. Value-added services and flexible facilities will be provided to locators to accelerate the formation and growth of early-stage technology ventures and ensure their commercial success. Among the services offered are: Assistance in technology development and commercialization; Mentorship in developing a business plan and managing the business by business professionals; Guidance in developing and testing product prototypes in the market; Valuable support for start-up entrepreneurs; Access to financing, business networks and markets; Free use of workspace with ready internet bandwidth and utilities such as electricity, telephone, and water for a period of one (1) year from start of operations; Assistance in business registration; Affordable facilities and services such as photocopier, telefax, canteen, personnel; Administrative support such as secretarial pool, bookkeeping, marketing, sales and assistance in complying with government and other regulations; Legal and other assistance in the organization, incorporation and registration of corporations at SEC/DTI/CDA.

Entry Criteria for Locators are Locators must contribute to the long-term success of ICT through development, enhancement and/or application of innovation and technology. Examples of micro, small and medium enterprises are those 1).Local entrepreneurs engaged in research, development and design of ICT products, services and processes; 2).Inward investing companies intend to start-up and expand in Davao City, and plan to engage their activities at the center; 3).Operators of ICT-intensive businesses who place knowledge-based innovations that encompass decision-making, research, product and market development, advanced and proto-type manufacturing, customer support and associate services.

Interested would-be entrepreneurs may contact Engr. Wilfredo Nadela, CEO, Brokenshire Learning Systems, Inc., Brokenshire Campus, Madapo Hills, Davao City with telephone numbers +6382-2272105; +6382-2273538 or email at wnadela@brokenshire.edu.ph or Mr. Socrates Palabyab, Founder and CEO, 3G Communications International, Inc. 15th Floor LANDCO Corporate Centre, J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City with telephone +6382-2244200; +6382-3001582 or email at soc.p@pacific.net.ph (dti)

Q&A with one of the proponents of Davao's ICT Incubator Center

[JASON] Who are the current tenants of the Incubation Center? What are their expertise and who are behind these companies? What type of companies are they? (startup/growth/relocated from other places/expanded from other places)

[ANDRE] There are 2 current tenants at the hub, Sedgeworks and GB Consult Philippines: (1) Sedgeworks is engaged in developing mobile software applications and content and relocated from their former offices in Matina, and (2) GB Consult Philippines is currently working on Linux based Terminal Servers and applications, this is a new start company but a sister company of a German based company

[JASON] How does the incubator provide "access to financing, business networks and markets"? Does it have partnerships/alliances to provide this?

[ANDRE] The incubator project will serve as the foreign marketing arm of locators and is continuing its expanding role of making linkages with foreign trade groups, financial institutions that will provide start up and continuing capital for operations.

[JASON] By offering free facilities, how does the incubation center financially sustain its operations?

[ANDRE] Currently the operations are funded by 3G Communications and
Brokenshire Learning Systems, but we are on the look out for foreign grants and aid which will help sustain and grow the hub.

[JASON] What kind of assistance in technology development is provided?

[ANDRE] Consulting with current experts will allow incubators to develop new technologies and also commercially viable products that can be sold or licensed to foreign markets. :)

About the writer:

Jason Banico is a technology management professional with 9 years of IT experience, ranging from enterprise network infrastructure, systems integration and IT security, to web development, dot com portals and e-commerce. He has served for 3 years as the CTO of Yehey.com, a leading horizontal portal and search engine in the Philippines and 2 years as a consultant in Accenture.

He is the main proponent of the Silicon Gulf Project as part of the Reuters Digital Vision Fellowship Program at Stanford University.

boju

August 24th, 2006, 06:32 AM

Sun moves to expand Java developer base with 2nd Java in Cebu confab

Sun Microsystems Philippines is kicking off its 2nd Java in Cebu Developers Conference on August 22, 2006. With one goal in mind: Expand the country’s Java developer base by raising considerable awareness about the versatility and uses of the object-oriented programming language, which is fast becoming the de facto application development tool of many enterprises today.

Sun is bringing in consultants and leading experts from the US and Asia to the one-day conference at the Pacific Ballroom of Waterfront Hotel, Lahug, Cebu City with the aim of helping build the expertise of the Java developer base in the country. "We are holding this conference with the view of sharing Sun’s vast store of knowledge, garnered through nearly 10 years of Java development, said Cynthia Mamon, Sun Microsystems’ President and Managing Director.

Java has come a long way since it was first released in 1995. Today, Java runs on some 650 million PCs, and powers 750 million Java cards. Sun estimates that the value of the global Java technology economy at 100 billion in sales and another 0 billion in related IT spending. "We want local developers to be able to share knowledge on Java as well, thereby enriching the current store of expertise in best practice," commented Ms. Mamon.

Java in Cebu offers technical and business-focused sessions on relevant areas of the popular object-oriented programming language. The conference itself will offer the following topics:

* Java EE & Web 2.0 Programming Using Blueprints

* Java SE on the Desktop: Extreme GUI Makeover

* Web Tier Programming Code Camp I: Java Server Faces

* Web Tier Programming Code Camp II: AJAX

* SOA, JBL, BPEL: Strategy Design and Best Practices

* Rapid Web Development Using Sun Java™ Studio Enterprise Creator

* Design of Cool Java™Applications for Consumers & Enterprise Users

* Java & .Net Interoperability

* Solaris, OpenSolaris and Sun Studio: Changing the Game

* Netbeans Extreme: Matisse, CVS, Profiling and Plug-ins

* Untangling the Threads: Java Concurrency & Synchronization Utilities

In addition, Java in Cebu also offers the best Java technology developers the chance to test their mettle against their peers. The Java in Cebu Coding Challenge brings developers together to compete with well-written code for prizes and fun. Developers are encouraged to bring knowledge garnered from conference sessions to real-world programming problems in similar topics.

Through the collaboration of Sun and its partners, Sun Java conference whether it be Java in Manila or Java in Cebu has emerged as the ‘‘definitive developer’’ forum for the Java community in the Philippines. Over 800 developers, CIOs, CTOs, systems architects and administrators, IT students and members of the academe are expected to attend the event. Registration is still ongoing: Visit www.javaincebu.com or call Karen at 422-4162. You can also e-mail javaincebu@sun.com.ph or SMS 0915-9853830.

Source: Manila Bulletin (http://www.mb.com.ph/INFO2006082472404.html)

Sera

August 24th, 2006, 08:36 AM

That was what I wa contesting with Ritche before. That says it all for Davao inspite of the absence of an IT Park. Peace!

Why can't Davao establish an IT Park then?

davaoeagle

August 24th, 2006, 09:20 AM

Why can't Davao establish an IT Park then?

No interest from amongst most of the real estate owners. One article mentioned that owners of these real estates (vacant lots) are mostly abroad and only let their lots sit idle.

And since you are asking, currently there is an on-going talk between the Angliongtos and the NCCC owners (just 2 of the few interested fellas)to fuse their lots together to build an IT park. It's not confirmed though as this has only been hush, hush.

junax

August 24th, 2006, 09:24 AM

Why can't Davao establish an IT Park then?

just a clarification, don't get confuse with "PEZA accredited zones or park" with an "IT park" or "IT zone". by definition, davao has an "IT zone or park already" but still don't have that PEZA accredited zoning. pryce business park, home of several ICT companies, during the infancy of IT zoning once applied for it sometime in 2001 but for strange reason get denied, not qualified? i don't think so. nobody bothered again, except this year when a certain davaoeño from silicon valley initiated the proposal to make roxas avenue triangle (not pryce at this time) a PEZA registered IT zone. until then, it's a wait and see for us davaoeños.

Ic3

August 24th, 2006, 04:49 PM

kinda old...

GMA’s cyber corridor
by: Dennis Posadas

President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address last Monday talked about the need for a cyber corridor that stretches from Baguio to Davao. Her decision to increase spending for science and technology education will definitely help make it a reality. Although I assume that most of the industries in this cyber corridor will be the job-generating contact center-type BPOs, I will limit my comments to the technology SME component of the cyber corridor.

We really have to be careful about the term ICT. It can mean different things to different people these days. That is why I prefer to use the term technology SMEs or S&T SMEs to describe what my column argues for. For some people, ICT refers to both technology-based businesses and those that use technology as an enabler. A key paradigm shift we need to make, is to be able to distinguish between ICT businesses and ICT-enabled businesses.

True ICT businesses are those involved with the design, production and distribution/marketing of ICT hardware, software and services. For example, companies that design or build chips, design, code and test software, design and test electronic systems, etc. are true ICT companies. These are the Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, etc. of the world.

ICT-enabled businesses are those that use ICT to enable their core business functions. For example, talking to a customer on the phone is ICT-enabled because it uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to enable those calls. Even higher value-added BPO activities are ICT-enabled. Even if an ICT company abroad like Dell operates here, if the business unit that they have set up uses ICT instead of builds it, then it is still an ICT-enabled business.

Let me be clear. I am not knocking any sector to favor another. I am simply making definitions so that we do not lump these two together under the term ICT.

Politicians, policy makers, business executives sometimes make this mistake. Understanding this difference is key to the success of the cyber corridor.

For example, teaching English will not necessarily help make the ICT businesses better just as teaching more science and technology courses will not help make the ICT-enabled businesses better (unless these are outsourced engineering/consulting services).

I suspect that the inspiration for the cyber corridor came from the Malaysia Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). MSC is a 12 km by 50 km zone in Kuala Lumpur that is the cornerstone of Mahathir’s Vision 2020 for Malaysia.

Take note of the geographic size of the corridor vis-a-vis our own proposed cyber corridor.

If we are referring to a cyber corridor composed mostly of BPO/ICT-enabled businesses spread across Baguio, Manila, Cebu, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Davao, etc., then we are well on our way. BPO/ICT-enabled businesses are fantastic job generators, and these types of businesses should definitely proliferate.

But if somewhere in that cyber corridor concept is that of advocating the growth of higher value-added product and service businesses, then we must handle this initiative separately and not lump it in with other initiatives. Businesses like chip design, chip manufacturing, software development, etc. have their own dynamics in terms of their cultural, educational, financial, and other ecosystem considerations. We have to stop doing these trade shows where food franchise SMEs sit side by side with technology SMEs (unless these companies are selling to this sector), and similar "lump them all together" type activities.

One thing we could do, as an extension of the One Town, One Product initiative of the DTI, is to extend this to technology SME’s. I have some rough ideas for where we can hatch specialist areas for particular technologies. Of course, I am not limiting these cities to these technologies alone, but here is where I feel they are strong:

* Baguio: chip equipment industry (because of Texas Instruments Baguio)
* San Fernando: software and other technologies for the logistics industry
* Diliman/Loyola Heights: chip design; embedded software; other sophisticated software; content
* Makati/Fort: software for BPO companies; content
* Los Baños: biotechnology; medical electronics; software for biotech industry
* Alabang/Santa Rosa: test equipment for the chip industry; auto parts; contract electronics manufacturing; software for the electronics and semiconductor industry; content
* Cebu: IPv6 Internet; embedded software; content
* Dumaguete and Iloilo: software for call centers
* Davao: content; software for large plantation-based agribusinesses.

What will eventually make these plans real is if the national/local governments beef up the capability and capacity of their schools in these areas to be able to study, research and eventually build these products and services in their areas

3stan_yu

August 28th, 2006, 04:52 PM

Inside Outsourcing
Frank Holz

August 08, 2006

(with thanks to Harry Belafonte)

This is my island in the sun
Where my people have toiled since time begun
I may sail on many a sea
Her shores will always be home to me

Oh, island in the sun
Willed to me by my father's hand
All my days I will sing in praise
Of your forest, waters, your shining sand.

Our island in the sun
IT services throughout the land
From our people working day and night
Because of the many decisions that were right!!

(last stanza contributed by an unknown, slightly inebriated, guitar-playing Cebuano)

When you read this I will just have returned from fulfilling one of my attainable life goals—to ride a Harley Softail through Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. All being well, I will return with a fresh mind and lots of new ideas. (Don’t even ask me about the unattainable life goals… they are not worth thinking about.)

Cebu: Under the Radar

For the moment though, I want to talk about an island that is productively working on behalf of its citizenry. Most importantly, the proponents are doing it “under the radar,” without much fanfare, but with a deliberateness and purpose that spell future success.
This island in the sun is Cebu, which I visited recently to participate in an ICT Strategy Summit. This conference was designed to lead to the development of a multi-sectoral roadmap to be presented at the Cebu Business Month conference on June 22. (By the time you read this, the event will be finished.)
Industry, the academe, and local government, all working together with a single goal–to make Cebu a world-class IT-enabled services hub. In fact their motto is: “Cebu is unITed.” We are not only talking here of call centers, but BPOs, medical transcription companies, and specialized software firms serving third-party clients. It is also about in-house development centers, serving their parent corporations with world-class engineering and software development services.

These sectors are doing much more than simply proclaiming Cebu an IT hub. Did you know that in the past six months, Cebu has organized two overseas missions, one to Bangalore, the other to Silicon Valley? These were dubbed as educational visits, and they were that. But they were also a great means of networking with powerful overseas industry players, learning from them and working with them to identify strategies and opportunities for building Cebu into a truly world-class location for IT-enabled services.

Cebu represents itself as a piece in the jigsaw puzzle that is the Philippines, or in their words, as an integral chip in the Philippine CyberServices Corridor. But you can be sure that when representatives of the Cebu initiative spend their own money to go out into their world market, they are doing it on behalf of Cebu.

Incidentally, the concept of a “CyberServices Corridor” was developed by Dondi Mapa, former Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) commissioner. My guess is that the idea of a CyberServices Corridor won’t survive the transition, because it needs a champion, and without Dondi there, it will wither. At first I thought it was a copycat of the Malaysia model, but Dondi, in fact, put some meat on the bones, and the concept has legs, if CICT should decide to pursue it. I hope they do, because it makes the IT-enabled services opportunity a national initiative. It also provides a strong argument for turning CICT into the DICT.

The Silicon Valley Model

You might be asking, “So what have these guys in Cebu done, aside from traveling around the world that makes you go gaga Frank? Are you losing it man? This isn’t rocket science after all, and the formula for success seems simple: more English-speaking young people, better and more relevant preparation, getting the attention of multinationals, letting the world know that we in the Philippines are open for business.”
I’ll tell you what it is. These guys in Cebu are working from a tested model that they derived from their travels. It is “The Silicon Valley Model” and it is composed of four pillars:

-Creation of an Innovation Ecosystem
-Promotion of a Culture of Technology Entrepreneurship
-Provision of a Critical Mass of Quality Professionals and Practitioners
-Availability of Legal and Financial Framework.

Each pillar has constituent components that consist of a program of action, and the corresponding players/stakeholders to make it happen. They are simple, straightforward, understandable, action-oriented, non-bureaucratic, and require the collaboration and cooperation of people with a common vision. Hey, that is what makes me go gaga. These guys are doing it!

Here’s a breakdown of the components of Pillar 1, “Creation of an Innovation Ecosystem”: (Thanks to Virgilio Paralisan, Cebu ICT Summit Workshop Manager, for having documented this approach and given it relevance in the Cebu context.)

1.A geographical point of convergence–to create a specific self-contained area that will be the focus of living and working;

2.A network of business and social interaction–to enable collegial and informal interaction between the disparate players in the ecosystem;

3.Lifestyle support systems and infrastructures–to ensure a healthy, safe, and receptive environment for the stakeholders and participants in the ecosystem;

4Educational institutions with strong business and technology research–to tap the creative juices of the industry participants, by encouraging the development of new products and services;

5.A culture of experimentation and failure–to encourage risk-taking and to make it easier to fail and to start over again;

6.Capital formation and the financial markets–to provide the essential ingredient of financial resources for new ideas and ventures, and to not rely on financial institutions and venture capitalists.

Each of the four pillars has its own set of components, with some overlap between them. Are they realistic? I think so. Are they attainable? Some yes, some no. Do they, at least, provide a model for development? Absolutely! My point here is not that this is THE answer, the perfect way to proceed with the development of the IT outsourcing industry in Cebu, or anywhere else for that matter. It is that there is a method, a structure, an approach that will be modified to fit the unique environment in which it is applied.

Perhaps we should learn from and emulate the example of Cebu throughout the Philippines.

(If you want a copy of the entire report on Cebu’s application of the Silicon Valley Model, send an e-mail to CebuSoft_ED@yahoo.com. The Website is www.CebuSoft.org).

WawaY[625]

August 28th, 2006, 05:12 PM

sa mga taga davvao, ive been hearing about this SILICON GULF thing..unsa man ni?

tj_brewed

August 29th, 2006, 05:49 AM

@gravy

Silicon Gulf once started as an individual initiative of Jason Banico, (a Dabawenyo IT professional who's behind successful websites such as Yehey.com and Funchain.com / a consultant of Accenture, and part of Reuters Digital Vision Fellowship Program @ Stanford University).

Today, it's being supported by the local government, the local chamber of commerce, and the Davao's academe.

Silicon Gulf is a framework for developing a local innovation system in Davao. It encompasses programs and activities targetted at government, academe and the private sector.

www.silicongulf.net for further info

Ady001

August 29th, 2006, 07:34 AM

No interest from amongst most of the real estate owners. One article mentioned that owners of these real estates (vacant lots) are mostly abroad and only let their lots sit idle.

And since you are asking, currently there is an on-going talk between the Angliongtos and the NCCC owners (just 2 of the few interested fellas)to fuse their lots together to build an IT park. It's not confirmed though as this has only been hush, hush.

This is one of the biggest problems. If the people who bought these lands are not interested in making their lots useful, I don't think we can go anywhere than that.

davaoeagle

August 29th, 2006, 08:42 AM

For the furor this issue has created, finally, here are some answers to critics and naysayers. This is indeed a real shot in the arm for Davao IT Industry.

First-ever IT park to begin this year
By Rizalene P. Acac

THE first phase of the proposed information and communications technology (ICT) park zone that would house business process outsourcing (BPO) companies like call and medical transcription centers is expected to be completed before the year ends, officials of Damosa Land Incorporated yesterday said.

The ICT park zone being developed by Damosa Land Incorporated is composed of 22,983 square meters of land located along J.P. Laurel Avenue which would accommodate two information technology buildings; data building; commercial and a utility building that would have an unlimited power supply.

The primary stage of development involves the establishment of the ICT building covering some 1,326 square meters of land along J.P. Laurel Avenue. Ricardo Floirendo, Damosa Land Inc. senior vice-president, said the call center company Link2Support, which also operates in Cagayan de Oro City and Manila, has committed to operate in the building in November. He said the company would put a 200-seater center that would boost the outsourcing business here.

Based on their plans, the IT building would be installed with high-speed fiber-optic telecommunication backbone and high-speed international gateway facility or wide-area network. Floirendo said they would initially be investing P20-million for the first phase of the ICT zone.

The government also extended its support to Damosa in securing an accreditation with the Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) that could give the company several incentives. Both councilors Rene Elias Lopez, chair of the committee on information and technology and Peter Laviña, chair of the committee on trade, commerce and industry, during their joint committee hearing yesterday readily endorsed the plan.

Department of Trade and Industry Davao City director Teolulo Pasawa said the IT sector is one of the areas that the government is really trying to promote. Laviña said the city has failed to hugely attract IT investors in the past two years due to the lack of infrastructure facilities. However, with the initiative of Damosa the city could be at par with other IT zones in the country.

He said this could also help boost the job opportunities for college graduates in the city, rather than try their luck in Cebu and Subic as call center representatives. Ed Villaver, vice president of Anflocor, said most of IT investors they talked with really preferred the city but set up shop in Cagayan de Oro City because of absence of infrastructure facilities. Cagayan de Oro City established the first IT park in Mindanao.

“We are trying to play catch-up here,” he said. Ivan Cortez of the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center also asked Damosa to avail of the incentives given by the local government for new businesses. Floirendo said the company needs another P150-million to construct the second phase of the park. He said they would also invest in the set up of surveillance cameras and electronic identification system.

WawaY[625]

August 29th, 2006, 02:49 PM

@ davaoeagle,

soince wala k aman sa davao, id like to inform you that nakita na nako ni sya nga building..hehe

its the old sime darby building beside Damosa Corp Center, tapos gi sort of demolish tung building (sime darby) tapos now its U/C..i guess mga two storeys ra ni cya nga building and mukhang warehouse..(wll intial evaluation ko lang yan..hehe) it could look good thoughy..well sana

WawaY[625]

August 29th, 2006, 02:52 PM

I agree....I have asked "konsehal" one of Davao's forumers who is also the head of City Council's committee on trade and investments regarding this via email. He said that some local businessmen are eyeing to develop an IT Park in Davao. However, he didn't want to disclose any information. I guess I'll just have to wait for news then.....

mao na siguro ni ang sa DAMOSA Tj..anyway, at 22,000sqm gamay ra kaayo no? well its a start..hehe

sandrin

September 2nd, 2006, 03:27 AM

CICT drafts educational open source strategy
http://technology.inq7.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=18508
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 07:25pm (Mla time) 09/01/2006

THE COMMISSION ON INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (CICT) is mapping out an open source program that seeks to expand the open source user base in the Philippines, to spur development of educational content and to create a pool of open source experts.

The Free and Open Source Software in Education Strategy (FINE) is headed by CICT Commissioner for Human Capital Development Group Emmanuel Lallana, who said the project is aligned with similar CICT programs, including iSchools and eSwela, two other projects that aim to develop ICT knowledge among public school teachers and students.

Lallana presented a draft of the FINE program during a recent workshop on ICT policy for the civil society in Ateneo de Manila University.

One of the components of FINE is the distribution of a Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) CD Kit that contains about a dozen open source alternatives to proprietary applications.

These applications include OpenOffice (alternative to Microsoft Office), Scribus DTP (alternative to Microsoft Publisher), NVU Web Authoring, 3D modeling software Blender (alternative to the more expensive Maya), Firefox (alternative to proprietary Web browsers), among others.

CICT’s affiliate projects to the FINE program deal focus on the main goals of FINE. One is the Open Content in Education Initiative which seeks to produce multimedia content for the Department of Education.

Another is the eQuality program that provides open source training to students from state colleges and universities.

Lallana said they would be working with technology groups and civil society organizations in promoting open source use among teachers and students since it would be difficult to introduce open source use to a population widely known for using proprietary software.

sandrin

September 9th, 2006, 02:39 PM

RP software firms eyeing more recruits from universities
By Erwin Oliva
INQ7.net
Last updated 10:11pm (Mla time) 09/08/2006

SOFTWARE companies in the Philippines are increasingly recruiting fresh graduates instead of experienced professionals who have become scarce to fill in local high-tech jobs, executives of two software companies told INQ7.net.

"Two years ago, we were looking for people who had two years of experience. Now, we're hiring fresh graduates with the drive to learn. They then undergo a sink or swim test," said Fernando Contreras Jr., president and chief executive officer of open source software developer Imperium Technology Inc.

Established in 2002, Contreras' firm is now involved in systems development using different open source software. Clients include local fastfood chain Jollibee, Chowking, Sterling Global and banks like RCBC and Asia United Bank. Recently, the local firm bagged a deal with a Japanese firm, allowing it to open a sales branch in Japan last month.

Another Philippine-based software firm, Exist Engineering, is now working with local universities to design courses that will prepare fresh graduates for a software engineering job at the company.

Vincent Ortega, president of Exist Engineering (formerly called Gluecode Services Inc.) said the company is hard-pressed on finding enough skills to man its growing operations in the country.

To date, the company has about 100 employees in Metro Manila and Cebu, with majority working as software engineers. It aims to double company headcount by next year.

Exist Engineering is involved in developing Java-based applications. "We're in the business of enhancing open source applications," added Ortega.

Ortega said the Philippines has a dearth of Java developers who can do the work required in his company. This forced the company to go straight to the local universities to design courses that would fit their demand.

This year, the company needs at least 50 software engineers knowledgeable in Java, J2EE, C++, Ajax, Spring, Hibernate, among others.

Exist Engineering is currently the "software house" of Exist Global. It was established in 2001.

Former venture capitalist working at Intel Capital, Winston Damarillo, founded Exist Engineering. Currently its chairman, the company runs an office in Los Angeles.

In 2005, Damarillo became a "celebrity" in the US open source community after he sold Gluecode, a company he co-founded, to IBM for almost 100 million dollars.

Gluecode develops open source application servers. He eventually used the money to set up an incubator firm for open source projects called Simula Labs. "Simula" is a Filipino word for beginning, and is used in this context to refer to startups.

JAMAICUS

September 11th, 2006, 10:42 AM

Cisco Philippines posts 36% growth in bookings, a record breaking year

By EDU H. LOPEZ

It was a banner year for Cisco Systems Philippines which ended July 2006 as its business of networking solutions in the country surpassed even the previous record in 2000 to 2001.

Cisco Systems Philippines country manager Luichi Robles described its fiscal year 2006 as a great year and a "record breaking year with a 36 percent growth in bookings" compared to fiscal year 2005.

Robles said Cisco Philippines was one of Cisco’s top performing countries in the Asia Pacific region after Australia, India and China.

He attributed the impressive growth to the booming call center industry that deployed Cisco’s end-to-end solutions.

"We grew our advanced technologies by 66 percent with an exponential growth in security solutions (66 percent) and unified communications products," said Robles.

In the wireless solutions, Cisco Phils had a 97 percent growth in Linksys products due to the huge penetration of the highspeed broadband services in the home market.

Financial services posted a 75 percent growth which was attributed to the mergers and acquisitions of local banks and companies that benefited Cisco Phils.

"The big push in the country is the financial services," said Robles. He stressed that the growth of Cisco’s business was fueled by the location of large call centers in Manila such as JP Morgan, Dell Computers, GE, as well as Indian call centers.

To address the growing call center requirements, Cisco has introduced the "call center in a box" solution that caters to startups with 50 to 100 seats.

Other Cisco’s segments that posted significant growth include commercial sector with a 34 percent growth year-on-year, IT services with a 52 percent growth and one percent for the service providers.

Security solutions grew by 66 percent, while storage was by 333 percent in partnership with EMC Corp. and IBM Phils.

Robles said there was not much growth in the service providers because in the previous years, telcos had invested more in the IT infrastructure including networking solutions.

Cisco Phils has also shifted its focus in its marketing strategy, added new segments and hired more people in sales, channels and technical support. Its headcount has doubled to 30 staff.

Looking ahead, Robles is optimistic that the commercial sector is his big bet for fiscal year 2007. He will introduce an "inside sales over the phone" strategy which has been successful in South America.

This new approach in inside sales had started this month that would target small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

"Another big bet is the channels which will be enhanced further and add two more resellers in Cebu," said Robles.

On the technical side, Oscar Visaya, Cisco’s consultant and networking expert would introduce innovations by building centers of excellence and develop solutions for the contact center industry.

Robles expects more Indian call centers to locate in the Philippines and explore the outsourcing business in Europe.

"By showing our impressive growth, we would be attracting more foreign investments to the country," Robles added.

Cisco’s worldwide performance was equally impressive with a net income of .6 billion in fiscal year ending July 2006 and net sales of .5 billion up by 65 percent.

With a .8 billion in cash and investments, Cisco is poised to acquire more companies that would augment and complement its networking products and services.

Christian Hentschel, Cisco director for Asia business operations who recently visited Manila said that his company is open to more acquisitions particularly new technologies.

Cisco is aiming to become a -billion company and is eyeing to acquire 15 new technologies with market potential over the next 18 months, said Hentschel.

Aside from acquiring new technologies, Cisco itself is developing new products based on advanced technologies.

http://www.mb.com.ph/archive_pages.php?url=http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2006/09/11/INFO2006091174074.html

JAMAICUS

September 11th, 2006, 11:05 AM

Making ‘sachet’ business happen thru IT
With information technology (IT), more entrepreneurs could make it big in business.

Jose Concepcion III, chief executive of RFM Corp. and presidential consultant for entrepreneurship, said using IT in doing business will not only spur the growth of the local IT community, but also help non-IT related ventures become even more successful.

By adopting technology, small businesses, whether in information technology (IT) or non-IT related ventures, can become even more successful, experts say. Through the private-sector initiative called TechnoNegosyo, stakeholders hope to create an attractive climate for budding technology entrepreneurs.

Mr. Concepcion, along with other private-sector personalities, is behind the private-sector initiative called TechnoNegosyo, which is designed to create a venue for budding technology entrepreneurs.

The program is designed to link entrepreneurs, government agencies and the business sector and encourage them to collaborate in research partnership, joint ventures, sourcing agreements and technology transfer.

"With this, we envision to create sachet types of businesses. Because technology is not only for the geeks and the rich, technology is for everybody," Mr. Concepcion said during the launch of the program last week.

He said the TechnoNegosyo program can be viewed as a "means in bringing the Filipino entrepreneurial spirit to a higher level."

"Based on the experience of many Filipino technopreneurs, technopreneurs is a world of brilliant, hard-to-copy innovations accompanied by a high degree of risk-taking, visions of selling to a huge global market and of course mind-boggling profits too," Mr. Concepcion said.

Myla Villanueva, managing director of IT venture Mdi Group Holdings, said the TechnoNegosyo program can open up sourcing opportunities for starters. "We have no technology capital market to speak of. There is so much we have to do to compete well. In software programming for instance, we have so much talent out there, but no necessary support mechanism in place," she said.

Ms. Villanueva founded the mobile application development firm Wolfpac and broadband wireless provider Meridian, two companies acquired by Smart Communications, Inc.

Mr. Concepcion said capital from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is a natural target.

"We have very few VCs [venture capitalists]. We can tap the OFWs to bring in the money. One business model is the internet café," Mr. Concepcion said.

During the forum, representatives from the business sector, particularly those coming from the banking sector and venture capital companies, will be invited so that they could better understand the IT business.

Further, the Department of Science and Technology will feature during the forum "mature technologies" such as contaminant detector in packaging and language translator (English to Filipino). These technologies are now ripe for commercial launch but do not have funding to back it up.

"We hope to enlighten them on how to market a technology that they cannot understand completely. This will be the first of many attempts. We hope that this will be the start of more awareness and the potential entry of those who have the ideas," Ms. Villanueva said.

TechnoNegosyo will be held on Sept. 14 to 15 at the World Trade Center in Roxas Boulevard. This is part of a series of events kicked off by last February’s Go Negosyo Summit, followed by the GoNegosyo Teen Edition Conference, and several GoNegosyo events held in different communities and schools.

http://www.itmatters.com.ph/news.php?id=090506a

ritche

September 23rd, 2006, 03:32 PM

State-of-the-art Facilities in India and the Philippines Allow for Enhanced Delivery of Publishing Solutions. (http://www.spitech.com/web/spi/home.jsp)

Washington, DC, September 4, 2006 – SPi, a global provider of editorial, content production and BPO solutions for publishers, today announced the opening of two new, state-of-the-art delivery centers in India and the Philippines. As a result of SPi’s rapid growth and the increased demand for its services, SPi sees these purpose-built facilities as significant steps
in positioning itself to meet its customers’ needs.

The new India-based facility, located in Pondicherry, will serve as SPi’s primary delivery center for its end-to-end book operation. The three-story, 12,000 square foot facility will house over 600 content specialists. Using a robust technology platform, these talented professionals provide a wide array of editorial and content production services for publishers of books, serials and major reference works, as well as eBooks and multi-media content.
SPi’s capabilities in Pondicherry will continue to be supplemented by SPi resources in both Chennai and New Delhi.

Ernest Cu, President and Chief Executive Officer of SPi said “The growing volume of our book business has prompted us to make the strategic decision to expand and move into a new state-of-the-art facility and to consolidate our existing operations in Pondicherry. With this move, we will be able to optimize our business operation such that we can be more competitive and increase efficiencies for our clients.”

Cu went on to say, “At SPi, we strive to be the employer of choice in every country in which we operate, and we are committed to providing our employees with the best working environment possible. These new facilities enable us to make good on this promise to our employees.”

The new Philippine-based office, which is located in Dumaguete, allows SPi to effectively expand upon the content production and editorial services being provided by its Manila-based Journal operation. This 20,000 square foot purpose-built facility accommodates over 550 content specialists providing XML structuring, typesetting, and copyediting services to a growing list of journal publishers worldwide.

Both the Dumaguete and Pondicherry facilities include many state-of-the-art features like internet-enabled training and testing rooms, ergonomically designed work stations and spacious recreational areas.

Frank Stumpf, President and COO of SPi’s Publishing division said, “We continue to look for the most talented publishing professionals available in India and the Philippines, and our facilities allow us to attract the top talent in the market place. Dumaguete offers us access to talent from one of the top universities in the Philippines, as well as several other universities,
and we believe the quality of English language skill in the city is very high. By hiring the best in every country in which we operate, we can continue to provide our clients with high quality, cost-effective, end-to-end content outsourcing solutions.”

LordCarnal

September 23rd, 2006, 03:52 PM

But with Cebu's case, Asiatown IT Park, the first PEZA Registered IT Zone outside of Metro Manila had been established even before the callcenter wave hit Cebu. It was originally constructed for software developers, content developers and other IT related firms. The first locators were NEC, Tsuneishi, Globe Telecom, NCR, and Epson.

Asiatown IT Park was actually "Cebu Civic and Trade Center" before.. I guess they envisioned it to complement the Cebu Business Park nearby..

I saw an ad in Inquirer before and the area was envisioned to house a convention center, trade and exhibitions centers, some offices and banks perhaps, a park, and the like..

I'm not sure what really was the reason as to why they converted it into an IT Park and eventually renamed the area into AsiaTown I.T. Park but maybe because such would just compete with the Cebu Business Park nearby and also, ICT was already becoming the "in" thing before. And as what Hans_boy said, highrise buildings are not allowed at the Asiatown IT Park.

sandrin

September 24th, 2006, 10:20 PM

RP Open Source confab: It’s time to make the rules
http://www.mb.com.ph/INFO2006092575370.html
By MELVIN G. CALIMAG

After years of breaking the rules in the computing world, it’s now time for open source to make the rules.

This battle cry, adopted from a similar open source conference in San Francisco, is the driving force behind the staging of the Philippine Open Source Conference that will be held in tandem with the first Philippine Voice and Telephony Technology Conference on September 26 to 28, 2006 at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel.

Organizers led by industry veteran Fernando "JR" Contreras Jr., said they decided to merge the twin events because the concept behind it is the same: Freedom on computing and technology.

Moreover, Contreras said open source applications that run on telephony equipment are being implemented increasingly in the corporate space. "Call centers are also now moving into IP-based infrastructure that is based on the open source platform."

The conference, according to Contreras, is also aimed at promoting open source skills among Filipinos so the country can better compete in the outsourcing business. "In terms of labor cost, we’re not the cheapest, it’s India. So we have to find a way to upgrade our technical knowledge in order to offer more value."

Right now, there’s tremendous opportunity for Filipinos with open source skills since 67 percent of servers used in the Internet is based on open source technology.

"But we’d also like to emphasize that we’re not against any software company," Contreras said. "What we’re saying is that with open source, companies now have an option to choose."

The event is targeted at companies and enterprises currently using or are considering using open source voice and telephony technologies. This will be presented to participants in various ways such as exhibits, tutorials, live laboratories, and proof-of-concept presentations.

There will also be special interest group sessions throughout the conference. Tracks include topics on business applications, programming and systems development, and a specialized track on voice and telephony.

Some of the invited speakers are Emmanuel Amador, senior technical writer for InfoWeapons Corporation; Jade Deinla, president and CEO of Xinapse Inc.; Bobby Gantuangco, vice president for technology for INQ7; Norwen Goño, senior systems developer of Asia United Bank; Jerome Gotangco, external vice president of PLUG; Dr. Pablo Manalastas, associate professor -- Department of Mathematics of the Ateneo de Manila University; Marco Angelo Mejia, manager - research and engineering for Imperium Technology, Inc.; Reuben Ravago, founder of OLM Tech; Adrian San Juan, Manila chapter lead for Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP); Rafael Sevilla, chief technology officer of Imperium Technology, Inc.; Ryan Talabis, founder and lead analyst of the Philippine Honeynet Project; Nelson Tandug, VP for IT of Prudentialife Group of Companies; and Sebastian Sicam, senior science research specialist, Advanced Science and Technology Institute, among others.

sandrin

September 24th, 2006, 10:23 PM

Part 2 eyed for open source project
http://technology.inq7.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=22680
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 10:15pm (Mla time) 09/23/2006

With the achievements of the Philippine Open Source Initiative Project (POSITIVE), its three proponents are seeking to come up with a follow-up program to ensure long-term sustainability of POSITIVE, this time targeting Philippine companies to play a role.

Project POSITIVE is carried out by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Wireless Services Asia (WSA) and the European IT Service Center Foundation (EITSC). It aims to create a pool of experts in open source technologies by getting Philippine schools to integrate an open source courseware in their curriculum.

The project, with a 350,000-euro fund from a group of European private companies and GTZ, was started in January 2005 and will end January 2007.

POSITIVE Project Lead Joseph Paul Sianghio told the media that the group must come up with a follow-up project related to, but not necessarily about POSITIVE.

He quantified that the follow-up project should not be an extension of Project POSITIVE and must focus on another group, particularly the local business sector that are in need of open source experts.

“It should still relate to Project POSITIVE because the first project was targeted at schools. One of our ideas is to get the private sector to sign up for on-the-job training offers to students who graduated from schools that partnered with us for Project POSITIVE,” Sianghio said.

Sianghio said the group would be coming up with a job-matching activity by November. He said they have already a list of companies in need of experts in open source technologies.

Aside from their current list, they are also looking to partner with industry groups, such as the Philippine Software Industry Association and Open Minds that have member companies with software development requirements.

Likewise, the group would also be tapping into the 700 or so members of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, which is the parent organization of the EITSC.

So far, Project POSITIVE has trained 218 teaches from 91 participating schools. Some of these schools have either fully implemented the POSITIVE courseware or some parts of it, depending on the school’s IT curriculum.

Sianghio said they are hoping to reach more than 100 school partners by November.

beads_strawberries

September 26th, 2006, 05:43 AM

The government recently earmarked P500M to set up "Silicon Valley" in UP Diliman in Quezon City. According to the House Deputy Majority Leader, the budget has been earmarked for infrastructure development of Diliman Science Complex and Technology Incubation Park at Diliman campus. This will evidently boost our science and technology sector. The so-called Diliman hub would definitely serve as the national center for research and development.

sandrn

October 2nd, 2006, 01:30 AM

Int'l open source group to start training sessions in RP
http://technology.inq7.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=24169
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 11:19pm (Mla time) 10/01/2006

OPEN source advocates in the Philippines and the Southeast Asian region are getting a hand from an international open source group, which will be conducting a series of training sessions in the coming months.

The training sessions handled by the International Open Source Initiative are meant for IT experts who want to enhance their knowledge of free and open source software, collectively called FOSS, or are hoping to shift to developing open source applications from proprietary ones.

The first training sessions will be held this month. Called Linux Training of Trainers, these sessions will be open to Linux specialists from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

The Linux Training of Trainers will also promote certification among developers and users.

This would be followed by FOSS@Work to be held in November, also in Manila. It will be an international workshop targeting service providers and small-to-medium scale enterprises looking for alternatives in building their own IT infrastructure.

The group partnered with the University of the Philippines and InWent, a German institution that promotes international capacity-building on different skills.

Alvin Marcelo, the group's sub-regional (asia) node manager, told INQ7.net that open source advocacy is going through a revival worldwide as more companies and even governments contemplate using solutions based on open source applications.

He said one of the reasons for the slow pace of acceptance of open source solutions is the lack of manpower knowledgeable about open source application development and administration

"These training (sessions) and workshops are all geared towards facilitating interaction among the different open source advocates, service providers and companies in the Asia Pacific. There are pockets or groups scattered in Asia and we want all of them to work together and come up with strategies that will further promote the use of open source," Marcelo said.

rey_84

October 5th, 2006, 04:11 AM

Thursday, October 05, 2006
Global ICT congress to be held in Cebu

CEBU will host the two-day International Congress on ICT (information and communications technology), which will kick off on Nov. 16 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

The event, which will be participated in by delegates from 40 countries across the globe, is organized by the Commission on Higher Education 7, Department of Education 7 and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority 7.

The congress will take up issues on the global challenges in education.

Sustainable

Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP), an international multi-stakeholder network committed to harnessing the potential of ICT for sustainable and equitable development, will take part in the event.

Some of the topics to be discussed are “Achieving Universality in Education through ICT,” which will be tackled by Walter Fust, GKP chairman.

The other congress topics are Vision for IT Education, Emerging Resources and Tools for Education and Distance Education: Making IT Work for Us. source: http://sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2006/10/05/bus/global.ict.congress.to.be.held.in.cebu.html

CAPITALIZING on the burgeoning growth of the information, communication and technology (ICT) sector in the province, a local university opened its second call center training room to improve levels of competence in the English language.

“The call center industry needs people with excellent communication skills, so while the need is still there, we have to act on it immediately,” University of Cebu (UC) president Augusto Go said.

In partnership with the Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology (Cedf-it), USAid Pact project and People Support, UC launched last Tuesday its new “Training Center for Communication Skills Enhancement and Call Center Agents” at the second floor of the UC-Banilad campus.

Go told Sun.Star Cebu that the training room is an exact replica of People Support’s Asiatown IT Park site and has state-of-the-art telecommunications equipment.

He said some P4 million was spent for the purchase of the equipment alone.

High-tech

The training room consists of 24 units of personal computers, Avaya phones, headsets, among others.

Cedf-it executive director Bonifacio Belen said that since the training center is “high-tech,” trainees may take live calls from foreign customers.

Go said a similar training room will soon open in its UC-Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue campus while the first training room in the UC-main campus will be upgraded.

People Support training manager Amale Jopson said the training room will serve as a venue for near-hire applicants, “who fall just below average” to further develop their communication skills.

“The ability to communicate well is something that needs to be enhanced, everything else is trainable”, Jopson said.

“A huge number of Filipinos speak flawless, perfect English only certain things need to be taught other than fluency of the language,” said former American Chamber of Commerce and Industry president and US Consul John Domingo.

First priority

Jopson reported that only two to three percent of People Support’s applicants are hired due to some inefficiency in speaking with the American English accent, however she is optimistic that with training centers, the hiring rate will increase to five percent.

She added that the company will be prioritized from among the pool of graduates of the UC call center training room.

However, they will give the trainees the discretion to apply in other call centers, Go said.

Belen also said once the teaching of fundamental skills will be embedded in the UC curriculum, it hopes to generate more than 1,000 “quality graduates” next year, who will be fit for the industry.

People Support will be providing trainers, who will be involved in the actual conduct of the training programs, and are given the permission to adopt their curriculum for UC’s public seminars.

He said two separate trainings will be conducted for UC professors and for outside applicants. These will begin on Oct. 23.

“The program for teachers is quite different, both in methodology and schedule, so we are still finalizing their training program but some of them will join on the 23rd as observers,” Belen said.

Jopson said applicants, who will also include non-UC personnel, will undergo “extensive” training within the next two months.

Two public seminars will be scheduled per month lasting nine days and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
source: http://sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2006/10/05/bus/uc.call.center.put.up.2nd.training.center.html

rey_84

October 5th, 2006, 04:16 AM

Ng: The IPod craze and the arrival of Zune

GADGETS. During the Cebu information and communication technology (ICT) mission trip in North America, we also visited several companies, as well as various computer stores. In most of the stores, even department stores, one of the products that is almost dominant in displays—you even see people using them in trains, cars, planes—is the Apple Ipod.

Apple’s media players are so good that they have inspired a massive gadget ecosystem, and spawned thousands of imitators, as well as third party providers.

Even luxury cars now are offering to have Ipod players instead of compact disc players. When you are broadcasting audio from your website, you are now said to be podcasting, in obvious reference to the IPod.

This Christmas, one of the most watched introductions will be Microsoft’s Zune.

It will be a hard battle for Microsoft since the IPod’s success is said to be based on beauty, simplicity and ‘extreme coolness,’ which Microsoft is not noted for.

However, based on reviews, there are some ‘cool’ features of the incoming Zune, which could make it worth the try.

According to Mike Elgan of Computerworld, Microsoft’s Zune player will be made in China by Toshiba.

It will have a 30-gigabyte hard drive and a three-inch screen for video. Unlike that Apple Ipod, it will have a Wifi peer-to-peer connectivity and an FM tuner.

The nice thing is that it will allow people to share songs, play lists and jpg photos with four other simultaneous Zune users using Wifi. So if I download a song, I pay for it and I own it. However, I can also share the song, and when I do share it, the person getting it can play it three times for up to three days for free.

The thing that people will find cool about the Zune is that it is viral.

Teens and the twenty-something like to share videos and songs, making websites like MySpace.com and Youtube.com the top websites now.

With the Zune, students will be free to share music, videos and photos in class or anywhere else. They’ll be able to pass notes to one another.

Who will win? We don’t know yet, but it will benefit consumers.

NETWORKING. On another front, social networking seems to be the “in” thing now. If we go back to the leading websites nowadays, whether friendster, myspace, or youtube or the phenomena of blogging, you will note that people like to go to websites where they not only read information, but also get to socially interact and share their own thoughts and experiences with others. Some people have dubbed it Web 2.0.

It is one of the things we got from the recent ICT mission. There is now some good demand for the nature of websites to be changed—from something static and updated by the webmaster, to something which anybody in the company can update and which allows readers and other people to interact with or comment on.

In short, websites nowadays are expected to allow two-way conversations instead of just allowing one-way traffic.

Even news sites now not only dish out news, but solicit comments and allow users to interact with their writers and editors.

In this day when websites are dramatically changing, what do you think will be the comment of people visiting a website that has not been updated for six months?

source: http://sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2006/10/05/bus/ng.the.ipod.craze.and.the.arrival.of.zune.html

bonixx

November 4th, 2006, 05:12 PM

bonixx

November 4th, 2006, 05:20 PM

Telecom backbone expanded to improve country's ICT infrastructure

The National Digital Transmission Network (NDTN), the second nationwide fiber optic backbone in the country owned by seven major telecommunication carriers, was recently expanded that would increase its capacity to deliver reliable and quality long distance services, cellular traffic, high-speed data, video, internet, broadcast signals and other communication services to major cities and localities nationwide.

The NDTN has been expanded from the present 2.5 Gb/s (gigabyte per second) to a 10 Gb/sec network, which translated to an increase of more than 120,000 lines of simultaneous voice and data transmission or increased bandwidth capacity of more than 4 times the initial service the NDTN previously provided.

Installed in 1999 at a cost of US$70 million, the NDTN is majority owned by Bayan Telecommunications (BayanTel), with Digitel, Eastern Telecom, Extelcom, Globe Telecom, PT&T, and Smart as co-owners. It is managed and operated by Telecoms Infrastructure Corporation of the Philippines (TelicPhil) and covers a distance of 2,762 kilometers stretching from San Fernando, La Union and Santiago City in the north to Davao in the south via Cebu and consists of microwave, submarine and land cable segments.

BayanTel chief consultant Tunde Fafunwa said that with BayanTel as the lead owner, the higher bandwidth from the NDTN expansion would serve as the foundation from which it will build the Internet protocol (IP) infrastructure that it is undertaking.

“Once completed, we can now deliver voice, data, video and Internet/IP services at faster speeds and higher reliability at any point nationwide from a single network. This enhanced capability will allow business and residential customers to benefit from new services and applications including VoIP, video-conferencing, multi-branch communications, etc.” Mr. Fafunwa added.

TelicPhil president Henry Galingan said the expansion was brought about by the dramatic increase in traffic traversing the network driven by increased telephone density, the boom in cellular phones, and high internet utilization all over the country, which stretched the network’s capacity to almost maximum by the end of last year.

The expanded network is expected to lead to even more efficient and affordable telecommunication services. To compare, the cost of maintaining a 64Kb/s service from Manila to Cebu five years (5) ago would be the same cost to maintain a 2Mb/s service or thirty (30) times the former circuit capacity after the expansion.

With the increased capacity at lower cost, even people living outside Metro Manila can experience real speed and broadband access just as affordably. The NDTN expansion particularly would benefit data traffic between Manila and Cebu as well the Lucena-Tigbauan, Dumaguete-Cebu, Manila-Lucena, and Dumaguete-Cagayan De Oro routes.

The expanded network would likewise help exploit the full potential of the country's knowledge economy which has the potential to generate millions of jobs in tech-intensive sectors such as call centers, animation companies, software development, medical and legal transcription companies and other business process outsourcing (BPO) services for countries like Japan, the U.S. and Europe.
The expanded NDTN allows investors to have the option to put up offices in other major cities outside of Metro Manila like those in Visayas and Mindanao, which can lead to the economic development of those regions with the generation of new jobs and investments.
The expansion was formally inaugurated via a simple launch ceremony attended by Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr, Congressman Simeon Kintanar, Chairman Virgilio Pena of the Commission on the ICT, and Commissioner Ronald Olivar Solis of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and with chief executives of top companies expected to attend.

ECI Telecom, a global provider of advanced telecommunications solutions to leading carriers and service providers, was selected as the project partner to undertake the expansion program based on its track record as a global provider of advance telecom solutions.

diehardbisdak

November 5th, 2006, 07:48 AM

... late post! (better late than never....heheheh!)

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Japanese IT firms to invest in Cebu
PIA Press Release
by Minerva BC
1 November 2006

According to the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC), five (5) Japanese information-technology (IT) companies plan to invest in Cebu this year. This confirms a survey by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) that Japanese firms in the Philippines are more optimistic about doing business in the country, as shown by a positive business sentiment index for October 2006.

The current survey of 180 firms out of the total 271 Japanese companies registered in the Philippines showed 26.1% of the respondents felt business got worse in October, from 28.1% last month, while 28.9% felt their business got better this month, against 26.6% in September. JETRO said 45% of the respondents said their businesses remained the same in October the same number registered the previous month.

CIPC managing director, Joel Mari Yu said, the Tokyo-based companies were identified as Bell net Co. Ltd., ISFnet Co. Ltd., Sahara Systems Japan, Data Application Co. Ltd. and CyberTech Corp.

Yu said, these companies plan to set up only small operations here, which is ideal for Cebu, because it has yet to build its capability to serve their skills requirement. "For example, we don't really have the capability to provide 2,000 programmers," Yu explained.

Attracting these companies to set up business here will help Cebu show to the world that it can already handle IT investments, other than call centers and business process outsourcing, Yu added. "CIPC is getting in touch with various schools and universities in Cebu, arranging meetings with government and non-government organizations involved in IT development because these companies want to establish partnerships with IT schools and universities in Cebu," Yu said.

Based on CIPC data and company information materials, Bell Net, a software engineering company has already set up a temporary office in Cebu with a P10M capitalization, 10 full-time staff and 160 contract engineers and designers. ISFnet, on the other hand, offers consulting, system design, software development, hardware, computer system management and other IT-related services. It plans to invest with a $1.6M capitalization and hires about 1,600 employees. The company plans to hire and train engineers for three years and set-up a training school here later.

The Sahara Systems will partner with universities in Cebu to develop its Unix and Computing Service and Japanese language courses. It plans to come up with 4-year Unix course and hire qualified graduates of this course. Recently, the company offers its Unix box for free to the different universities here in return for acknowledgement of their contribution.

Meantime, the Data Application Co. has a capitalization of 200 million Yen with 50 employees providing various products including communication middleware and other IT support services. It core business is network systems development; while the CyberTech Corp. has an 80 million Yen capitalization and in involved in the development of the world's first commercial XML native database Cyber Luxeon and the development of XML database using middleware.

XML, or Extensible markup Language, according to a company brochure, is a simple and flexible text format designed for use in large-scale electronic publishing. It is also used in exchange of data on the Web.

As these developed in the Central Philippines, the country's chief negotiator in the trade talks with Japan, Senior Trade Undersecretary Thomas Aquino said, the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) signed by the two countries last week, is an "all-trade" pact that covers a comprehensive range of products; which means that all products produced in both countries are covered. Aquino added, Manila and Tokyo are set to work on a protocol or rules on how to do things under the JPEPA.

The Japanese embassy said, the Japanese government "sincerely hopes that JPEPA will come into force at the earliest possible date," as it believes that the agreement, which still has to be ratified by the Philippine Senate, "will be conducive to the further increase of trade and investments between the two countries and thus further promote the bilateral relations."

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Realizing their ‘Potensyal’
Manila Bulletin
2 Nov '06

The year-long hunt for outstanding Department of Education divisions that have successfully integrated information and communication technology (ICT) in student teaching and learning curriculum is concluded with the announcement of the winners of Microsoft Philippines’ Partners in Learning (PiL) search, called Potensyal: Building the 21st Century School System.

Besting over 180 teams all over the Philippines, the divisions of Muntinlupa, Cebu Province and Digos emerged as the winners of Potensyal. Each division will be awarded with training and technology grants totaling nearly P10-million.

With Potensyal, the initiative and desire to improve the school system comes from the schools and divisions themselves as the process of conducting the trainings and gathering the materials for documentation depended entirely on the commitment of the divisions.

Microsoft Philippines Partners in Learning is an initiative to provide schools and students access to information and communications technology (ICT) based learning solutions to empower students with knowledge that will boost their competence and skills, enabling them to realize their full potential. As part of PiL, Potensyal aims to recognize the most innovative schools and divisions that are also open to technology and driven to empower people. In addition, the search encourages the integration of ICT in the teaching and learning process in the divisions.

"In PiL programs, like No Teacher Left Behind and the Innovative Teachers Leadership Awards for example, teachers have undergone trainings that enhance their skills as educators. Potensyal, on the other hand, reveals how our teachers and school administrators have successfully worked together to implement and employ what they have learned," said Michelle Casio, Academic Program Manager, Microsoft Philippines.

The multi-phase search began in 2005 with the pre-selection phase, which confirmed the divisions’ adopted and integrated PiL programs, as well as the number of principals and teachers who have undergone the Digital Literacy Training and 21st Century Leadership Course. 74 divisions coming from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao were considered to be eligible for the search.

The top 30 divisions then proceeded to the second phase, the verification and validation phase, where improvements on the selected entries were made. In the 21st Century School System finals, the third phase, the final 30 were invited to Manila to attend a special session that improved their presentation skills in preparation for the panel judging.

After deliberating on the presentations, the panel voted on the three divisions with the most sustainable and purpose-driven documents. These three were nominated to move on to the fourth and last phase, Realizing Potensyal, and were recognized in the awarding rites held today.

Potensyal was implemented with the support of Galileo Educational Corporation, I.T. Works, Manila Broadcasting Company, Mobile Concepts Asia and Smart Communications, Inc. through the Smart Schools Program, its flagship community service initiative in education.

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...The Cebu Asiatown IT Park

http://static.flickr.com/63/164864378_d06e52559b.jpg?v=0

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http://static.flickr.com/65/202289699_a265cd5da6.jpg?v=0

...pics from flickr.com

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On IT: Cebu Chamber hoping to forge ties with India
By Ehda M. Dagooc
The Freeman 11/02/2006

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will meet with the Indian Chamber of Commerce for a possible tie-up in Information, Communication Technology (ICT).

CCCI president Francis O. Monera announced that the chamber got an initial request from the India-based Chamber of Commerce during the upcoming ASEAN Business and Investment Summit this December.

At the Cebu Chamber side, Monera said areas of complementation in ICT sector will be pushed with India, recognizing the latter's strength in ICT sector.

He said areas of complementation will be clarified, and strengthen as Cebu is willing to work closely with India, in harnessing Cebu's ICT niche.

"We do not know yet, as to the specific areas of discussion. We still have to finalize the agenda of the discussion," Monera said.

Aside from India, CCCI is also actively working on arranging meetings with the private sector leaders from other ASEAN member countries.

"This will be the best opportunity for Cebu to forge linkages with other countries, especially in the field of ICT, tourism, and SME [Small and Medium Enterprises] development," he said.

He said ongoing communications with other foreign chambers is being done, and that CCCI has created three groups to actively talk with the various foreign businessmen.

Cebuano businessmen Edward Gaisano, Consul Sam Chioson, and Ted Locson will lead the three different groups to interact with the Summit's participants during the special meetings that will be held outside of the plenary event.

Aside from interacting actively with the foreign businessmen delegates, Monera said Chioson will lead in the meeting and off-Summit discussion with the dignitaries, and also highlight the events in the upcoming Cebu Business Month 2007 in June.

With this active initiative to be done by the CCCI, Cebu is bound to gain strong industry partnership with countries like Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, and with the addition of three countries-Japan, China and Korea.

What is clear as of this time, Monera said is the meeting with the India members of India Chamber of Commerce.

The ASEAN Business and Investment Summit is set on December 7 to 10 (2006), about 500 delegates from the government and private sector trade leaders are expected to attend.

diehardbisdak

November 5th, 2006, 08:24 AM

... this is an old, old news (perhaps, part of history already) but this deserves to be posted here .....hehehhehe!

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IT execs urged: Consider Cebu as model for IT industry
First posted 07:44pm (Mla time) Oct 02, 2004
By Erwin Lemuel Oliva
INQ7.net

PHILIPPINE policymakers in information technology need not look beyond the Philippines to find a “working model” on developing the local software and information technology services industry. The Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology (Cedf-IT) is emerging as a “good model” that top IT leaders might want to consider as they pursue plans of developing the country into an e-services hub of Asia, according to Henry Schumacher, executive vice-president of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

Formed three years ago (2001), Cedf-IT is Cebu’s biggest consortium of local IT companies, schools, and stakeholders pushing major initiatives to transform the city into a software and information technology services hub in Southeast Asia. Its main objectives involve developing Cebu’s IT manpower and to create a responsive environment that promotes collaboration among stakeholders.

The Cebu-based consortium has members representing most of the stakeholders in the city’s IT industry, according to Bonifacio Belen, executive director of Cedf-IT.

The consortium is currently pursuing seven flagship projects, of which five have either been completed or are still ongoing, according to Belen. The group has recently finished an IT human resource survey that mapped out the supply and quality of IT professionals in Cebu.

“In 2001, various stakeholders in the Cebu IT industry decided to stop blaming each other for the state of the city’s high-tech industry. So they decided to put this consortium together to address the problems affecting the academe, the industry, and other stakeholders,” Belen said.

Schumacher said the Philippines is currently being overshadowed by India in terms of attracting software development jobs and IT-related services because of the low supply of qualified IT professionals.

“There is a lack of human resource skills that can quickly ramp up to meet demand coming from abroad,” said Schumacher.

Cedf-IT hopes to create a critical mass of IT professionals as well as teachers in Cebu in the next five years.

Based on the group’s IT human resource survey, Cebu needs to have about 5,000 software engineers in five years to create a competitive software development industry.

dive-cebu

November 5th, 2006, 11:32 AM

MEGAWEALTH Development Corporation, an Ecozone Information Technology (IT) facility enterprise has signed with PEZA to CONSTRUCT an IT Center in Asiatown IT Park.

got this from today's issue of Philippine Star. I hope this is fresh news or you guys know about this already?

diehardbisdak

November 5th, 2006, 02:47 PM

IT Business Sites in Cebu

Arcenas Estate IT Building
Location: Banawa Hills, Barangay Labangon, Cebu City
Area: 12,799 square meter lot
5,241 gross floor area
Preferred Industries: IT related enterprises
Developer / Operator: Arcenas Development Corporation
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Atty. Jessie S. Vargas
Telephone No.: (032) 416-7800
Fax No.: (032) 254-6189
E-Mail: slyfacts@yahoo.com

Asia Town IT Park
Location: Lahug and Apas, Cebu City
Area: 23.6973 hectares
Preferred Industries: Leading Edge Applications or Services, Multimedia and other Content Creation and Related Activities, and other IT Related Industries
Developer / Operator: Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corp.
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Raul Mananquil
Telephone No.: (032) 231-5301 to 09
(02) 841-5575
Fax No.: (32) 231-5300
http://www.asiatownitpark.com/images/theproject2.jpg

Cebu Cybertown IT Park
Location: Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan, Cebu
Area: 11.51 hectares
Preferred Industries: IT Related Industries
Developer / Operator: First Centro, Inc.
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Atty. Harrison M. Paltongan
Telephone No.: (02) 634-2578

HDWF-WTCI IT Tower (Pag-Ibig)
Location: Mindanao Avenue, Cebu Business Park Cebu City
Area: 2,247 square meter lot
19,658.39 floor area
Preferred Industries: IT Related Enterprises
Developer / Operator: WT Construction, Inc. (WTCI)
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Mr. Willy U. Te
Telephone No.: (032) 234-2560; 234-2570;
234-2580 loc 212
Fax No.: (032) 234-2560
E-Mail: wtajute@skyinet.net
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b384/peejay_domek/fuente5.jpg

Innove IT Plaza
Location: Samar Loop corner Panay Road
Cebu Business Park, Cebu City
Area: 2,014 square meter lot
17,208.00 gross floor area
Preferred Industries: IT Related Enterprises
Developer / Operator: FAFCCC
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Mr. Frederick A. Ygnacio, Jr.
Telephone No.: (032) 412-4472
Fax No.: (032) 415-8611
E-Mail: fafccc@globelines.com.ph or bldg_mgr@globelines.com.ph
http://www.peza.gov.ph/jpeg/ecozones/innove.jpg

JY Square IT Center
Location: Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City
Area: 8,800 square meter lot
10,341 square meter floor area
Preferred Industries: IT Related Enterprises
Developer / Operator: Jovima Management and Development Corporation
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Mr. Arsenio Ruben R. Yu
Telephone No.: (032) 232-7247
Fax No.: (032) 231-2522
E-Mail: jysquare@skyinet.net
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/diehardbisdako/jysqaure-archimarvin.jpg

Keppel Center
Location: Cardinal Rosales Avenue cor. Samar Loop Cebu Business Park, Cebu City
Area: 2,615 square meter lot
29,434 floor area
Preferred Industries: IT Related Enterprises
Developer / Operator: Keppel Center Condominium Corporation
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Mr. Ivan G. Ore
Telephone No.: (032) 232-7127; 415-7602
Fax No.: (032) 415-7601
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/diehardbisdako/DSC01452copyarnoldsa.jpg[/img[

KRC IT Zone
Location: Lopez Jaena Street, Subangdaku
Mandaue City, Province of Cebu
Area: 6,647 square meter lot
9,515 floor area
Preferred Industries: IT Related Enterprises
Developer / Operator: Kimhee Realty Corporation (KRC)
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Mr. Derrick N. Chua
Telephone No.: (032) 254 - 6356
Fax No.: (032) 255-2413

Mango Square
Location: Maxilon Avenue corner Juana Osmeña Street, Cebu City
Area: 15,000 sqm land area
17,200 sqm gross floor area
Preferred Industries: IT Related Enterprises
Developer / Operator: Ludo & Luym Development Corporation
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Mr. Johnson Luym
Telephone No.: (032) 253-8567; 255-0650
Fax No.: (032) 412-6899
[img]http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m195/diehardbisdako/mangosquare-archimarvin.jpg

Taft IT Park
Location: Barangays Poblacion and Subangdaku Mandaue City
Area: 56,928 square meters
Preferred Industries: IT Related Enterprises
Developer / Operator: Taft Property Venture Development
Corporaton
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Mr. Jack S. Gaisano
Telephone No.: (032) 420-8888
Fax No.: (032) 340-6003

SOURCE: WWW.PEZA.GOV.PH

****on-going construction are SYKES CENTER near Kartzone, Vidichi IT Center in Mactan and the 15-storey IT Building at Cebu Business Park.

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IT Companies located in Cebu

NCR-Cebu Development Center, Inc.

NEC Telecom Software Philippines, Inc. (Cebu)

PeopleSupport (Philippines), Inc.

SPI Healthcare Documentation, Inc.

SPI Litigation Direct, Inc.

Convergys Philippines Services Corporation

1 & 1 Internet (Philippines), Inc.

Dash Engineering Philippines, Inc.

E-Telecare International, Inc.

Epson Precision (Philippines), Inc.

SPI Publisher Services, Inc.

Tsuneishi Technical Services (Philippines), Inc.

Versagrafx Designs Philippines, Inc.

Lexmark Research and Development Corporation

Calltek Center International, Inc

Sykes Asia

Qualfon

TouchAsia

Xlibris

eXist

Western Wats

Bigfoot Global Solutions, Inc.

Cebu Global Teleservices

Data Center Design Corporation (DCDC)

Giedo LLC

iCatchIT, Inc.

iNTOUCH

Lexysoft

MT LINK Asia, Inc.

Northern Transcriptionworks, Inc.

Oracy Concepts

Pacific Global Outsource Solutions, Inc.

Shem Data

Trends & Technologies

Tricom Systems

WebFocus Solutions Inc.

Zzubo Systems, Inc.

TeleTech (which opened recently)

****plus the five (5) Japanese IT firms to locate this year

diehardbisdak

November 5th, 2006, 03:06 PM

... I guess we have to exclude Cebu from this topic because datas show Cebu is already an IT Destination in the Philippines !!! i'm sure you agree with me guys.....

schmuckxox

November 5th, 2006, 03:25 PM

IT Business Sites in Cebu

Cebu Cybertown IT Park
Location: Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan, Cebu
Area: 11.51 hectares
Preferred Industries: IT Related Industries
Developer / Operator: First Centro, Inc.
Equity Participation: 100% Filipino
Contact Person: Atty. Harrison M. Paltongan
Telephone No.: (02) 634-2578

asa na dapit?

habagatcentral1

November 5th, 2006, 03:35 PM

^^ Basi dapit MEPZA.

schmuckxox

November 5th, 2006, 05:12 PM

i heard one time that kana dapit sa bigfoot sa opon kana na area kay gihiimu daw na i.t, park..how true??

diehardbisdak

November 5th, 2006, 06:36 PM

TeleTech expects to employ 1k agents
By Ehda M. Dagooc
The Freeman 11/06/2006

Inbound customer management call center, TeleTech has officially opened its 700-seat facility in Cebu and projected to employ about 1,000 call center agents in the next eight months.

In a press conference, TeleTech vice president and general manager for the Philippines Maulik Parekh said that the good relationship between the government and the private sector and the good quality of workforce in Cebu has encouraged the company to set up its 8th call center outlet in the Philippines here.

Initially, the Cebu operations will provide customer management service to the company's big clients in the United States, which are big airline firms, retail chain, telecommunications and electronic companies.

"A couple of clients are on the pipeline to be served by the Cebu operation," Parekh said.

TeleTech entered the Philippines in 2002. It has four facilities in Manila, one in Lipa City, Dumaguete and Bacolod, with a total of 8,500 employees.

According to Parekh, the company may open another facility in Cebu, as soon as the 700-seat will be fully occupied.

Tele Tech Cebu started its operations last month, with 300 call center agents. Parekh said despite the competition in hiring qualified agents in Cebu with so many call centers coming in and expanding, TeleTech was able to hire at least 300 qualified agents in just two months. About 30 percent of which came from other call centers, with majority of 70 percent are fresh entrants in the industry. Unlike other call center firms, which suffered from high attrition rate, TeleTech is able to keep its employees and made them stay longer. Some have even reached to three years in service, because of its unique program to take care of its workforce. One of its strategies aside from establishing a work-friendly office environment is to bring the facility nearer to residential areas, instead of locating in a business district, to provide easy access to employees.

The Cebu Customer Management Center (CMC) located in Oakridge IT center in Mandaue City has two sprawling floors designed to provide call center agents with modern amenities and state of the art technology.

Tele Tech is a leading global business outsourcing (BPO) company based in Denver, Colorado. It provides a full range of front-to-back office outsourced solutions including customer management, transaction-based processing, and database marketing services.

The company has 46,000 employees worldwide and handles 2.7 million live customer interactions or calls over US$1 billion in commerce for its clients daily.

The company provides service to wide range of clientele in commercial, cable, satellite, insurance, retail chain, telecommunications, and airlines, among others. Most of its clients are in the Fortune 500 circle. President Arroyo to grace ICT Congress this month By Ehda M. Dagooc Staff Member

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has confirmed to formally open the upcoming International Congress on ICT set on November 16-18, 2006, at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

This was announced by the organizer of the Congress, which is the second ICT stakeholders' gathering in Cebu this year that hopes to attract more than a thousand delegates from all over the Philippines, including representatives from 40 countries.

Arroyo has been pushing for the fast development of ICT (Information Communication Technology) sector in the Philippines, tagging the industry as an important employment generator.

Organized by the three government-owned institutions in the regional level, CHED, Tesda, and Department of Education together with other private institutions, like the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP), Cebu International Distance Education College (CIDEC) among others will carry the theme "A Global Challenge in Education."

Arroyo was also the keynote speaker during the National ICT in Basic Education Congress hosted by the DepEd held in Cebu last few months ago.

Arroyo believes that there is a need for the Philippines to nurture the ICT capabilities as it is the wave of the future, saying "It (ICT) is the employment provider [of the country]." Renowned practitioners of e-learning and distance education, instructional designers, ICT trainers, teachers and other members of the academe will convene for the three-day congress. These participants will be identifying the challenges of integrating ICT in education, sharing knowledge on global ICT trends that could potentially enhance education in schools, and mining insights on how teachers can harness the power of ICT through innovative teaching strategies.

The Congress is considered as the most appropriate and effective venue that all practioners of e-learning, distance education, instructional designers, faculty, teachers and ICT trainers, would share information and experience on their ICT activities, discuss problems they encountered and explore possible ways of overcoming them, said CHED-7 regional director Enrique P. Grecia.

"We wanted to update the academe, students, teachers, and other stakeholders in ICT on the latest trend in technology right now. We hope to provide knowledge buildings [academe], and the students the update and prospects in technology," Grecia added. The Congress is going to highlight the topic on "Unfulfilled promises of the digital revolution and the many obstacles on the road towards Universality in Education."

Swiss Ambassador of Federal department of foreign affairs, Walter Fust, is set to discuss on this topic, to give participants a wider view of ICT development and its challenges in the worldwide landscape.

source link: Philstar/Freeman Online (http://www.philstar.com/philstar/freeman200611062001.htm)

sandrn

November 5th, 2006, 10:32 PM

[I]Swedish IT company firms up specialized biz solutions in RP/I]
http://www.mb.com.ph/INFO2006110678910.html
By MELVIN G. CALIMAG

A Stockholm-based enterprise software maker which offers specialized solutions for specific industries, such as book publishing and automotive, is firming up its presence in the country to give big name competitors a run for their money.

IBS, short for International Business Systems, does not have a Philippine office although it has been represented in the last few years by its local partner Questronix.

Benjamin Goh, managing director for Asia at IBS, said in an interview that it is expanding its relationship with Questronix to better address the software needs of mid-market industries.

IBS, founded in 1978, has customers in some 40 countries, among them Cartier, Maxell, and Volvo.

According to Goh, the markets which IBS caters to are very specific so its solutions are specialized as well. He cited four industries which the company is paying close attention: Book publishing, pharmaceuticals, paper, and automobile.

"We have specialized solutions for these markets which other vendors don%u2019t have. SAP claims it has solutions for these industries, but the truth is that they don%u2019t have it. What they offer is a uniform SCM (supply chain management) solution that can be fitted to any industry," he said.

Among the four markets that he mentioned, Goh said the publishing and automobile industries are the ones that are deploying the solutions to manage their business. "Pharmaceuticals is also big, but not the paper industry."

Goh, who used to head the regional office of Novell, said IBS solutions can be easily migrated and be fitted into existing legacy systems. For instance, the IBS Bookmaster, an ERP (enterprise resource planning) solution specially designed for the book industry, can be integrated into a book company%u2019s system without the need to buy new hardware and software.

Aside from this, the Singaporean executive said IBS solutions have integrated BI (business intelligence) capability that allows the streamlining of a firm%u2019s supply chain.

"Again, other companies say they BI in their solutions but they don%u2019t have the means to prove it. For us, we measure our BI by SCOR or supply chain operations reference model. So we%u2019re challenging other companies to also take this model to measure their BI capability," he said.

The SCOR is a process reference model that has been developed and endorsed by the Supply Chain Council as the cross-industry standard diagnostic tool for supply-chain management. It enables users to address, improve, and communicate supply chain management practices within and between all interested parties.

sandrn

November 7th, 2006, 07:02 PM

Filipino develops $100 budget PC
http://technology.inq7.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=31137
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 09:30pm (Mla time) 11/07/2006
IT’S barely the size of a folder, as thin as a pocket-book and as lightweight as a ream of bond paper. It’s a PC complete with a motherboard, processor and memory storage developed by a Filipino and it only costs 100 US dollars.
University of the Philippines Los Banos Development and Management Professor Rufino Mananghaya is the one who built this budget PC. Incidentally, his purpose was not to sell the device but to show that a budget computer can be built for the have-nots, in particular, for the educational sector.
Mananghaya said the budget PC should also prove that a computer costing less than 100 US dollars is possible.
Mananghaya is also the president of the Philippine e-Learning Society, an academic group promoting the use of computers and the Internet for teaching.
Mananghaya’s budget PC uses a Taiwanese mini-motherboard with 256 megabytes of memory and integrated with a Via C3 800 megahertz processor. This is barely enough to compete with most computers today but it has fewer applications to run anyway.
Instead of having a hard disk, this budget PC has been enhanced with a memory card adapter that allows it to use a Compact Flash card, which is usually used for digital cameras and MP3 players. Mananghaya used a 128 MB Compact Flash card and it’s already an operational computer.
“This computer uses Puppy Linux, which only requires less than 50 MB of memory. Then it has Open Office as a cost-effective alternative to proprietary desktop applications. Both software run in less than 128 MB of memory but the card’s adapter can accommodate cards with up to 2 gigabytes,” Mananghaya said.
Mananghaya said he would rather describe this budget PC as a “thin client,” or a computer with no hard disk, simply because the applications that run on it are all in the Compact Flash card.
Aside from Compact Flash, the budget PC can also use USB thumb drives, many of which already have up to 2 GB of memory.
Surprisingly, Mananghaya’s PC is not encased in solid metal; it is fixed in a 50-peso transparent plastic briefcase that can be bought in school supply shops.
“Take note that I’m not competing with the big computer players. This budget PC is only for those who are not capable of spending too much on a computer and only use it for a few tasks. I just hope that people will build the interest in these small cost-effective computers,” Mananghaya said.

_zner_

November 8th, 2006, 11:53 AM

ASIA INTERNET USAGE AND POPULATION

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats3.htm#asia

hans boy

November 9th, 2006, 06:24 AM

diehardbisdak

November 9th, 2006, 09:50 AM

bai hans, i just enumerated it which I based from PEZA Approved sites. I know Oakridge IT Plaza but i'm not sure if they are PEZA approved. Also, I mentioned Taft IT Park (Zone)... anyhow, with the latest news, I think Cebu should not be called one of IT Hubs in the Phillipines but One of the World's IT HUB:

..from INQ7.NET
Cebu's place in the global BPO industry

A recent study published by NeoIT, an IT consultant firm based in the US, ranks Cebu as the 13th most preferred BPO location worldwide. On top of us are string of Indian cities, Manila, Shanghai, Gunazhou and Mscow. The report used the following criteria in the ranking: human capital (40%), costs (20%), environment (20%), risks (10%) and infrastructure (10%). It also coonsdiered the following more industry specific requirements: language fluency, location proximity, capability, and enterprise maturity.

hans boy

November 9th, 2006, 10:03 AM

rustyboi

November 9th, 2006, 10:23 AM

nice developments for cebu! but where did the other IT hubs go? any updates? :)

sandrn

November 11th, 2006, 11:12 PM

Open source plan eyes more schools for courseware adoption
http://technology.inq7.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=31846
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 10:43pm (Mla time) 11/10/2006

ORIGINALLY targeting only 100 schools, Project POSITIVE (Philippine Open Source Initiative) has exceeded its expectations by having an additional 115 colleges and universities integrating an open source courseware designed by a consortium of open source advocates.

A total of 265 professors of computer courses have participated in a hands-on train-the-trainer program under Project POSITIVE.

Project POSITIVE is a public-private partnership project of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and Wireless Services Asia (WSA) in cooperation with the European IT Service Center Foundation (EITSC).

It started in early 2005 and is about to end by January 2007.

POSITIVE Project Leader Joseph Paul Sianghio said the integration of more than 100 schools from the original target indicated that schools are very interested in having a courseware related to open source technologies.

Likewise, the courseware developed by the consortium is absolutely free and can be downloaded from the project website (www.positive.ph), which appeals to the schools that cannot pay license fees for more expensive proprietary curriculums.

Sianghio said they have worked with the Philippine Society of IT Educators in institutionalizing training for POSITIVE recipients across the country.

The courseware includes the syllabus, presentation slides, instructor’s guides, and laboratory and exercise workbooks for five college subject areas: IT Fundamentals, Operating Systems, Database Administration, Database Management Systems, and Web Programming.

To complement the training of students in open source technologies, POSITIVE aims to place at least 45 students from partner schools in internship programs with partner companies by the end of 2006. Of these, at least 20 students are expected to be fully employed upon completion of their university degrees.

Copyright 2006 INQ7.net. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

diehardbisdak

November 14th, 2006, 07:23 PM

Int’l ICT congress to open Thursday
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Sun-Star Online (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2006/11/15/bus/int.l.ict.congress.to.open.thursday.html)

MORE than a thousand delegates from 40 countries will gather in Cebu for the International Congress on Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which will kick off on Thursday at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

The three-day event aims to bring out the best ideas from members of the global academic community and the ICT industry on how to maximize the potentials of the sector and use these in bridging the geographical and technological gap.

One of the main goals of the congress is to harness ICT to help more students in the Philippines and the rest of the world get the education they “rightfully” deserve, according to a statement.

President Arroyo will open the congress.

Participants to the international congress will identify the challenges of integrating ICT in education and share knowledge on global trends that would enhance education in schools as well as provide insights on how teachers can tap the power of information technology through innovative teaching strategies.

The International Congress on ICT is organized by the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in partnership with the Global Knowledge Partnership. (JBN)

diehardbisdak

November 14th, 2006, 07:24 PM

sandrn

November 15th, 2006, 12:34 PM

-delete;wrong thread-

sandrn

November 15th, 2006, 12:40 PM

Open source technology getting more support in ASEAN
http://technology.inquirer.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=32562
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 08:11pm (Mla time) 11/14/2006

Nearly two decades later and with hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts, free and open source software, collectively known as FOSS, is turning something from a fad to a serious professional field in the software industry, especially with increasing support from governments and international organizations.

In the Philippines where several software developers on open source have survived tumultuous years amid the might of proprietary software distribution, pockets of open source communities are getting a full support not just from the Philippine government but also from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). A few years ago it created the International Open Source Network (IOSN) in an effort to spur the adoption of FOSS across the Asia-Pacific.

So far, the IOSN has been able to form joint efforts between professional open source developers and their respective governments to educate and improve the technological know-how on FOSS. Just this week, the IOSN held the Southeast Asia’s first FOSS@Work Conference in Manila, attended by over open source developers from across Southeast Asia.

For SMBS

But the conference’s main objective is not just for information dissemination but to build strategic programs particularly for Asia’s small- to medium-scale businesses. IOSN ASEAN+3 Manager Dr. Alvin Marcelo explained that SMBs have the most to gain from open source primarily due to the lower cost of ownership and maintenance. SMBs are also among the best sectors to promote the benefits from using FOSS for other sectors, including government and education.

However, Marcelo admitted that one of the reasons for the slow adoption of FOSS among businesses is lack of technical support enjoyed by most companies that use proprietary off-the-shelf applications.

“What we’re doing now is to create a network of experts who will provide technical support for SMBs. That’s why we’ve also been conducting training-the-trainers activities,” Marcelo said, highlighting on three previous FOSS training activities held in Manila two months ago.

UNDP-IOSN collaborated with InWent [pronounced “invent”], a German coalition of government and private sector firms, for the FOSS@Work conference. InWent Senior Project Manager for Business Development Infrastructure Balthas Seibold said that their organization intends to provide capacity building strategies for developing countries. It is closely working with Project POSITIVE (Philippine Open Source Initiative), another project being conducted by the European IT Services Center, Wireless Services Asia and the German Technical Cooperation.

Seibold said among their strategies is to engage local service providers to promote open source usage and to raise interest among companies. Likewise, they intend to strengthen the open source community in the Philippines to be able to support companies using open source.

Seibold also noted several other IT and FOSS-related activities being conducted by InWent in other countries, including some Arab states, Africa and Southeast Asia. Seibold said that countries with IT and FOSS initiatives have produced significant economic results which point to long-term benefits.

UN support

The presence of the UN through its IOSN program is already a major indicator of how serious FOSS has become in all aspects of economic development. Shahid Akhtar, UNDP Program Coordinator for the Asia-Pacific Development Information Program, said that it takes a strong support from a major organization for invisible enthusiasts to become more active and professional. In the case of FOSS enthusiasts, the IOSN opened up a pool of open source developers and programmers when they started a registration system a few years ago.

“These guys were invisible before but thousands registered in our site. It’s still mainly volunteer work but we now know who to contact in different areas.”

Ahktar also indicated that adoption of open source also has other benefits other than economic. In which case, the country’s reputation is also affected.

“Piracy will be greatly reduced because there’s almost nothing to pirate. Applications for SMBs will remain free and it is only the services that you’re paying for. It’s also easier to customize business applications for companies based on their needs.”

Akhtar said that the pricing of many open source applications is still very steep and is not friendly enough for developing countries.

“Unless [Microsoft Chairman] Bill Gates lowers the price of his products, he’ll still experience piracy of his applications in some countries.”

Government for FOSS

Not just InWent and UNDP that are into FOSS in the Philippines. Some officials of government are also getting into the fray. Just recently, open source advocate Congressman Teodoro Casiño filed House Bill 5769 that intends to use FOSS as standard application for use in government, business and academe.

Casiño said in an interview that one of the necessary steps in promoting FOSS is to have it used through a law. Although he does not intend to force people in using open source, the use of open source in major processes would create an environment of creativity among users, especially students.

“For one, the demand for Filipino programmers has been increasing in the past. By having knowledge in open source, students are greatly expanding their skills. They could serve international markets but it is important that they serve local businesses, too,” Casiño said.

Casiño also lauded Congress’s interest in open source, especially when his bill is scheduled to have its first congressional public hearing less than three months since it was submitted.

“Usually, you don’t get that short a notice to have a public hearing on a bill. It takes several months for that to happen.”

Aside from Casiño’s FOSS bill, the Commission on Information and Communications Technology through Commissioner Emmanuel Lallana is conducting a school-based deployment of a CD containing various open source applications. Apart from the operating system, the FOSS CD contains other desktop applications that are alternatives to usual proprietary software, such as those from Microsoft.

According to IOSN’s Marcel, it’s the culture of leadership such as that being done by the government that is necessary to have Filipinos quickly adopt to open source. Likewise, InWent’s Seibold summed up with three important aspects that will push FOSS adoption in developing countries: “You need empowerment, incentives to change and training people for FOSS programs to work.”

Copyright 2006 INQ7.net. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

sandrn

November 20th, 2006, 03:23 AM

[Filipino software firm eyes global expansion
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=interactive1_nov20_2006

A FILIPINO company specializing in open source development last week bared ambitious plans to become a global technology player publicly traded on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

As part of its expansion, Exist Software Engineering will be renamed Exist Global as it brings in P100 million in new venture capital, and doubles its current workforce of 100 developers by next year, said Winston Damarillo, the company’s chief executive.

Damarillo, who heads Simula Labs in Marina del Rey, California, made headlines in the trade press last year when he sold a United States-based start-up called Gluecode Software to IBM for an undisclosed amount.

“Exist wrote a good part of the Gluecode software,” Damarillo told Standard Today. “But it’s my fault because I never told people about it. Exist was doing the engineering backend for Gluecode, which was the marketing and architectural design for Gluecode’s product.”

Before its acquisition by IBM, Gluecode offered services based on an integrated package of open-source products, including the Geronimo application server, a portal, database and workflow server.

ritche

November 22nd, 2006, 04:30 AM

hans boy

November 22nd, 2006, 08:52 AM

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5851/teletechro2.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1283/teletech1lg1.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1298/teletech2gk0.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9891/teletech3st1.jpg

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/4082/teletech4og5.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1231/teletech5rj8.jpg

Renderings are good but it's a lot better to keep it real and realistic. Better post real time pictures and images. Nothing comes close and beats the beauty of reality. Just a suggestion.

t0yb0y

November 22nd, 2006, 08:59 AM

^^ nice, but i think they look like most typical call center/bpo facility found in manila and cebu. but its good to know that dumaguete gained a piece of the pie.

sandrn

November 22nd, 2006, 11:13 AM

Open source project starts industry-academe internship

By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 08:19pm (Mla time) 11/21/2006

The proponents of Project Philippine Open Source Initiative (POSITIVE) have begun the first industry and academic internship program for students who underwent training of the open source program.

Forty-five students from several Metro Manila schools would be sent to a tentative list of companies that have recognized the use of open source software for their IT infrastructure.

Project POSITIVE is a public and private partnership between the German Technical Cooperation, Wireless Services Asia and the European IT Service Center Foundation.

This developed as POSITIVE declared the Open Source courseware rollout has exceeded its target by having 265 computer course professors and 115 schools nationwide to participate in the project since its launch during the first quarter of the year.

POSITIVE project lead Joseph Paul Sianghio said the industry-academe internship program is geared toward the last two months of the year and the early part of 2007.

“The matching process has been done by our academe partners together with companies that advocate the use of Open Source. We are looking to get the students to do 240 hours of on-the-job training.” Sianghio said.

According to Sianghio, POSITIVE expects that at least 20 of the students will immediately be employed by the companies after their graduation.

Among the list of companies that have shifted to the use of Open Source are Goldilocks Bakeshop and Foodshop, Jollibee Food Corp., Meridian Telekoms Inc., National Bookstore, UnionBank of the Philippines, and WG&A Philippines.

“Open source is becoming an eye opener. We have not seen any reluctance in accepting it. The schools are very much interested as they can now have the software tools to teach beyond theories without having to pay for license fees,” Sianghio said.

According to Sianghio they are expecting the courseware and the internship program to build a steady supply of manpower to lessen the mismatch in job demands across all offices.

The courseware that was rolled out in March included a syllabus, presentation slides, instructor guides and laboratory and exercise workbooks for five college subject areas including IT fundamentals, operating systems, database administration, database management systems and web programming.

HER

November 23rd, 2006, 12:22 AM

Cebu IT group inks deal with Unix training center
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 09:57pm (Mla time) 11/22/2006

The Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology (CED-FIT) has tapped Sahara Systems Corporation to provide Unix training curriculum for CED-FIT member-schools.

Under the partnership, Sahara will provide 26 computers running Unix operating systems. The company would also send in engineers from Japan to run the training program.

Among the schools that would join the Unix training program, which starts January 2007 and runs for five-months, are the University of Cebu, University of San Jose Recoletos, Cebu Institute of Technology, University of San Carlos, University of Visayas, University of Southern Philippines, Southwestern University and Cebu Doctors’ University.

Member-schools that undergo the training are also required to render one year of service in their respective institutions to promote Unix training to students.

CED-FIT Executive Director Bonifacio Belen said in a statement that the whole project is expected to run a full two-year and a half across all CED-FIT member schools.

Belen also said the CED-FIT office in Asiatown IT Park will be renovated to accommodate the computers.

“This project seeks to address the problem on brain drain in the country. If a company engaged in the Unix system wants to set up a company here, then they will be assured our pool of IT and engineering graduates are already competent and well-trained in it,” he said.

Belen noted that CED-FIT has lined up several projects in various stages of development for next year, the Unix training being among the first.

dive-cebu

November 23rd, 2006, 02:58 AM

give it up for IBM... next in line, DELL Phils. :)

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/5836/23112006021007pn4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

sandrn

November 28th, 2006, 03:03 AM

RP firm developing online music backup for Mac users
http://technology.inquirer.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=35045
By Erwin Oliva
INQ7.net
Last updated 08:55pm (Mla time) 11/27/2006

PHILIPPINE-based company is set to unveil a one-click online back-up service for Mac users amassing gigabytes of music, its co-founder revealed this week.

Xackup co-founder Terence Pua told INQ7.net in an interview the online back-up service, dubbed Xacktunes, will initially target 100,000 out of the estimated 30 million Mac users worldwide.

Xactunes will not be free. Users will pay $1 for the first gigabyte and $0.50 thereafter on a per-month pricing, he said.

Based on the company's market research, most Mac users have between 5 and 30 gigabytes of music.

Pua said the service will also back up most of the content downloaded by users, including TV shows, movies, podcasts, preferences, song count—everything including the iTunes' playlist.

The local startup has been testing this online service for two months. It started development in January 2006.

Xackup expects this service to be relevant to affluent consumers in countries like the US that can afford paid online services, Pua said in his blog.

Pua admitted that Windows is a bigger market for this product, but said he wanted to focus on "an early adopter market."

Xacktunes also adds a social networking element that was inspired by last.fm, an online music community where people share the music they're listening to with others.

Xackup has spent around $75,000 for research and development of the online back-up service, the executive said.

Among the challenges foreseen are product support and "making sure the software is solid." The startup is also using viral marketing to create more interest in their homegrown product.

"I believe this: If your product does not sell itself via word of mouth, [the] product is probably useless," he said.

"Xacktunes' slogan is really this: 'iTunes backup for lazy people,'" he added.

sandrn

November 28th, 2006, 03:05 AM

IT for cooperative project looks to open source integration
http://technology.inquirer.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=33959
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 08:19pm (Mla time) 11/21/2006

After two years of successfully managing an IT-based livelihood development project for cooperatives, the IT for Southeast Asian Cooperatives (IT@COOPS) is looking to integrate free and open source software as part of the program to provide entrepreneurs and members of community cooperatives.

IT@COOPS is a Southeast Asia-wide project by Germany's Capacity Building International, otherwise called InWent (pronounced “invent”) and is managed in the Philippines by the Asian Women in Cooperative Development Forum (AWCF).

AWCF Program Coordinator Angelita Valdez told INQ7.NET that the group is looking to enhance their program with open source software as a cost-effective alternative to building community e-centers in or near cooperatives.

“One of our upcoming programs is to create business centers for each of the 35 model cooperatives in the Philippines that are part of IT@COOPS,” Valdez said.

Valdez explained that the business centers will serve as both training and communications facilities for businessmen and members of the cooperatives.

She added that they would be training people to manage the business centers to assist its users. The cooperatives would also need to sustain the business centers.

“The business centers themselves would be built and managed from the budget of the cooperatives,” Valdez said.

InWent also launched IT@COOPS in Indonesia and Thailand and its focus are mostly cooperatives in poorer areas. It also intends to encourage women entrepreneurs. The project also has its own website (www.it-coops.net).

chixbebe

November 28th, 2006, 07:53 AM

Firm gives scholarships for ICT courses

Information and communications technology (ICT) company NEC awarded university scholarships to 16 students yesterday through the NEC Foundation, Inc. as part of a program to improve ICT education.

The scholarships were for ICT-related courses such as computer engineering, computer science, and electronics and communications engineering. Each student will be given up to P76,000 a year for tuition and allowance.

Leonardo Santos, executive vice-president and country manager of NEC Philippines, said giving poor students training in ICT was a unique way to help them improve their conditions. "Engineering and computer science courses enable an immediate shift to higher income levels and a dramatic change in quality of living."

The scholarships were taken from the interest earned by a $1-million grant made by NEC Corp. of Japan in 1986. The company has granted P20 million in scholarships since the program’s inception 20 years ago, with 91 students graduating under the program. The graduates include two postgraduate students with degrees from Stanford University in the United States and a university in the United Kingdom.

NEC Foundation executive director Edgardo Atanacio said that the scholarship program had "no strings attached," with students not being required to work locally or for NEC affiliates after graduation.

Students are selected from a pool of 150 to 170 applicants and chosen by teacher recommendations and scores in the University of the Philippines college admission test, though the students eventually study in schools nationwide.

The company advertises the program in one broadsheet and one tabloid every year. — AEL

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW112806/today.php

sandrn

December 4th, 2006, 01:23 AM

Asian firms seen to benefit from lack of 2D, 3D designers
http://technology.inq7.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=36179
By Leo Magno
INQ7.net
Last updated 09:17pm (Mla time) 12/03/2006

LAS VEGAS--Joel Francisco, a Filipino architect now working in Hawaii, could have employed computer-aided design (CAD) experts in the United States for his company's projects. Yet Francisco chose to outsource his requirements to another Filipino working in Dubai.

"It's not just because he is a Filipino, but if he were working here I would have to pay him in dollars," said Francisco who currently works as project designer for Architects Hawaii Inc.

Francisco is not alone. Other architectural and engineering outfits in the United States are outsourcing their 2D and 3D design and analysis requirements to Asia, and some Filipino individuals as well as firms based in the Philippines like the information systems group of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) are lucky enough to bag these projects.

"There is a lack of qualified personnel in the industry, so the private and public sectors are outsourcing more and more," said Chris Bradshaw, vice president for infrastructure solutions division at Autodesk Inc. "There is a baby boomer problem among qualified engineers who use Autodesk, and that problem is not going away. The Autodesk baby boomer users are retiring and Asia is filling in the jobs."

Autodesk is a leading provider of 2D and 3D design and visualization tools used by the architectural, design, construction, engineering and entertainment industries. The company is looking at emerging markets like Asia where Autodesk is being used more and more because of the infrastructure boom in these areas. Consequently, Autodesk users are also starting to mushroom in these locations, making them more viable as outsourcing destinations.

While the availability of qualified Autodesk professionals is an advantage for outsourcers in Asia, a bigger advantage is the cost savings contractors get from such services.

"In dollar terms, it's about three times the cost if you have the job done here (in the United States)," said Francisco.

Bradshaw acknowledges the potential of Asia for both Autodesk's own growth and the growth of the outsourcing industry to fill the void currently being experienced in the United States.

"We don't place Asia in one big bucket," he said. "China and India are emerging markets in contrast with Japan and Singapore which are already mature markets. High growth markets are Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia and Southeast Asia in general. We have also opened a reseller in Vietnam."

Bradshaw said that about half a trillion dollars' worth of infrastructure projects are being done in Asia, and that the pressure from the supply chain -- from design to collaboration to the implementation of these projects -- is leading companies to use Autodesk.

However, Autodesk laments that many users are still stuck with simple CAD processes instead of integrating them with geographic information systems (GIS). Traditionally, users have two data sets for both CAD and GIS and Autodesk is showing the market how to integrate the two. Training on this CAD-GIS integration is one of the reasons why Meralco and other Autodesk users are here at Autodesk University.

Yet Autodesk user groups from Asia are relatively small. Some of them are micro-sized companies or single-man outfits providing outsourcing services. Bradshaw said it is critical for Autodesk to reach out to these small outfits.

"These small customers are important for us," he said. "When they come to Autodesk University they would hopefully feel more connected."

Autodesk University is an annual conference and user convention held by the company. Francisco and representatives from Meralco went to the Autodesk University being held here to learn how to further their use of Autodesk tools. They said it is good to see other Autodesk users worldwide encountering similar problems and they share experiences with one another to find solutions.

"Our experience tells us that it is better when users help other users, and that's what they find out when they go to Autodesk University," said Bradshaw. "We show them other people who actually use our technology."

Bradshaw said that Autodesk is tapping into Asia by pursuing an aggressive education program to let them know more about industry problems and solutions. He acknowledges that while the problem of lack of expertise and manpower in 2D CAD, 3D and geospatial data processing is becoming serious, the problem is not limited to any particular area.

"Location notwithstanding, the business problems are much the same whether you are in the US or in the Philippines," he said.

Asia's micro-sized companies could end up bagging the bigger projects, whether or not they are doing CAD or geospatial data processing in the region or outsourcing for companies abroad. This bodes well for outsourcers in the Philippines like Meralco and individual Autodesk users like the ones employed by Francisco.

"These micro-customers that have about 10 seats of Autodesk is a typical scenario, and the mega-projects are usually done by small 20-person companies," said Bradshaw.

Christendom

December 4th, 2006, 02:41 PM

2 call center daw will be open in BACOLOD this coming '07. A Convergys & BusinessExpressCon.

any info of BusinessExpressCon call center company? i don't know how to write the exact word of BusinessExpressCon call center. pls correct if i have mistaken. & any news also about the eyeing a 2 call centers in San Carlos City, NegOcc.

fundraiser

December 4th, 2006, 07:19 PM

^^ what???

WawaY[625]

December 4th, 2006, 08:40 PM

^^ LMAO

kalatang bai zyanz oi :)

fundraiser

December 4th, 2006, 08:44 PM

gibasa ankog balik balik zyanz pero sorry wa gyud gihapon ko nakasabot sa imong buot ipa ibot.

aw hala, ilonggo ka man diay, ang sabot ipa ibot, hehe, joke!

sandrn

December 5th, 2006, 02:15 AM

SAYS NOTED ANIMATOR
Filipino heart, global appeal is key to RP animation success
http://technology.inq7.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=36339
By Alexander Villafania
INQ7.net
Last updated 08:26pm (Mla time) 12/04/2006

TO BECOME world-renowned producers of quality animation, Filipino animators must come up with material that reflects their unique culture and yet appeals to a global market, a former Disney animator has said.

Hans P. Bacher, whose film credits include "Lion King," "Aladdin," "Hercules," and "Lilo and Stitch," said Filipino animators are among the best in the world, but they must find a style suitable to their culture.

"But the main objective is for animation studios in the Philippines to produce the right stories and the right styles of animation that work for them, then you can target an international audience," he said at a seminar on animation at the iAcademy campus in Makati City.

Bacher, who owns a studio in Germany called "madTParty" but is currently residing in the Philippines, also told animators not too rely too much on technology.

"They're just tools, much like your pen and paper. Be creative, be imaginative, use your hands," he said.

Bacher noted, however, that certain effects such as moving grass and water are nearly impossible to accomplish without digital technology.

The former Disney animator is working closely with Filipino animation studio Holy Cow! to develop an animation course for iAcademy.

diehardbisdak

December 6th, 2006, 08:21 AM

Convergys to expand Cebu operations
Sun-Star Online (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man/2006/12/06/bus/convergys.to.expand.cebu.operations.html)
6-Dec-06

CONVERGYS Corporation has announced that it will expand its operations with the opening of a new integrated contact center in Cebu City.

Renovation and outfitting of the facility is already underway and it is expected to be fully operational late in the first quarter of 2007. The new Convergys facility will have up to 700 new employees, nearly doubling Convergys’ capacity in Cebu City, including the existing Banawa operating site which also has about 800 employees. With the new facility, Convergys will have eight of the largest, multi-client, US-company-owned contact centers in the Philippines.

Full employment at the new contact center expansion is expected within the next six to eight months. Once operational, the new Cebu City facility will provide both general support and advanced technical help desk services to a variety of Convergys clients via traditional voice calling, e-mail, and Web chat as well as "back office" application and document processing.

“The nearly 10,000 employees in our existing seven contact centers in the Philippines have reinforced our strong belief that the Philippines offers a motivated workforce of highly-dedicated, well-educated, English-speaking professionals and the infrastructure needed to deliver world-class customer care," said Marife Zamora, Convergys' vice president and country manager, Philippines. “Convergys is currently hiring the management and customer care professionals that will be needed for this location," she added.

"As the global leader in customer relationship management, we strive to meet the needs of our existing and future clients wherever that may take us in the world," said Clint Streit, executive vice president for Convergys' Customer Care business. “The Philippines has a large talent pool with strong intellectual resources and we will continue to leverage the many strengths and talents of Filipinos and the Philippine culture as our company continues to grow,” Streit also said.

The new contact center in Cebu City will be closely integrated with Convergys "Global Assurance Network." This gives Convergys control of its end-to-end operations and processes, just as the company has in the US, Canada, and Europe, and assures 100 percent redundancy in case of an emergency. In the new Cebu City contact center, Convergys will deploy this network via international private leased circuits (IPLC) to avoid unnecessary duplication and expense.

Located in the AsiaTown IT Business Park in Cebu City, the new contact center will be in the 12-storey PIPC II building. With approximately 65,000 square feet of space, the new center will encompass two contact center floors, recruiting and testing areas, training rooms, modern language laboratories, conference and meeting rooms, administrative areas, and a full cafeteria among other state-of-the-art amenities. The new Convergys contact center is designed to international standards with furniture ergonomically designed for contact center work, state-of-art generators and backup contingency systems.

Convergys Corporation is hiring for many different positions in the Philippines. Please submit résumés to philippinesrecruitment@convergys.com

Convergys Corporation is a global leader in providing customer care, human resources, and billing services. Convergys combines specialized knowledge and expertise with solid execution to deliver outsourced solutions, consulting services, and software support. Clients in more than 70 countries speaking nearly 35 languages depend on Convergys to manage the increasing complexity and cost of caring for customers and employees. Convergys serves the world's leading companies in many industries including communications, financial services, technology, and consumer products.

Convergys is a member of the Standard and Poor’s (S&P 500) and a Fortune Most Admired Company. Based in Cincinnati in Ohio, USA, Convergys has more than 68,000 employees in 75 customer contact centers, three data centers, and other facilities in the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. For more information visit www.convergys.com. (Press release)

chixbebe

December 8th, 2006, 05:20 AM

BAYOMBONG, NUEVA VIZCAYA—President Macapagal-Arroyo will lead today’s unveiling ceremonies for a P2-billion hotel, recreation facility and technology center inside the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) in the coastal town of Santa Ana in Cagayan, a bailiwick of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.

Ms Arroyo is scheduled to also lead the groundbreaking rites for the 250-meter segment of a P300-million breakwater project at Port Irene in Barangay Casambalangan, said Sta. Ana Mayor Norberto Victor Rodriguez.

Eastern Hawaii Leisure Co. Lt. will build a 300-room, five star hotel and a village with 100 villas on a 17-hectare property in the freeport. The company is expected to bring in thousands of tourists from China and Hong Kong to the facilities.

The technology center, to be built on a 10-hectare property also in the free port, will house an Internet data center, an interactive gaming hub, several software development and call center facilities.

The technology center, a project of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority-registered First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corp. (FCLRC), will serve as the communication link of the facilities to the rest of the world.

Mayor Rodriguez said the 300-room hotel complex and technology center within the Ceza Compound in Barangay Centro and the expansion of the Navy airstrip in Barangay San Vicente are among the development projects being pushed by the Ceza to boost economic growth in Northern Luzon.

He said while the national government is funding the construction of the breakwater and airstrip, much of the development projects within the economic zone are being funded by the Ceza and the FCLRC.

According to its website, First Cagayan, which obtained a master license to operate Internet gaming at the Ceza Complex, is inviting gaming operators to the facilities by virtue of the provisions of Republic Act 7922, the law that created Ceza.

“Ceza, through First Cagayan, accords gaming operators the chance to become part of a promising business environment, and provides a well-situated base to penetrate the gaming markets of the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world,” the website said.

Twenty-nine foreign corporations have already been given licenses to host their services at the economic zone, the website, quoting Justin Hernandez, First Cagayan marketing representative, said.

diehardbisdak

December 10th, 2006, 05:50 PM

....talking about investor's confidence on IT capability of Cebu

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IBM earmarks P4 million for IT course development
By Ehda M. Dagooc
The Freeman (http://www.philstar.com/philstar/Freeman200612112001.htm) 12/11/2006

To help the Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry in Cebu attain its maximum capability, IBM Philippines has earmarked a P4 million budget to help universities and colleges develop useful curriculum to arm graduates with the proper ICT skills.

"We keep on strengthening our academic initiatives to start building a pipeline of qualified ICT professionals in Cebu," said James G. Velasquez IBM Philippines president and country manager.

In a press conference, Velasquez said the company initially expects about 500 students enrolled in ICT related courses to benefit from the program.

This program he said is part of the company's commitment to help Cebu further establish itself as the ICT hub in the Philippines.

Early this year, IBM through its past president and country manager Joaquin Quintos, signed a partnership agreement with the Cebu provincial government for help develop a solid ICT workforce development projects, to push the province take off and push the ICT industry's potential.

The P4 million-budget will initially involve the development of curriculum and technology training programs in large universities here.

"Aside from cost, infrastructure and availability of skilled-manpower remain top priorities for investors," he revealed.

It will sustain Cebu's attractiveness to ICT related investments, especially the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, among others. This initiative would also help people get equipped and be prepared for any work they will be required to do in ICT or tourism industries.

This already includes a broad sub-sector in BPO industry such as call centers, back-office offshore operations, software development, Research and Development, among others.

IBM, a global company, chose Cebu as its pilot area to implement its workforce development program in the country because of its potential to accommodate multi-billion dollars outsourcing, call center, and other ICT related investments.

The company has recognized that these industries further require a qualified workforce that is readily capable of meeting their requirements. IBM further believes that the workforce development program is the best solution for the would-be employees.

He said availability of skilled-manpower or availability of armed ICT graduates is now the top priority of most ICT related investors, aside from in place infrastructure and concerns in cost of doing business.

Sustainability of highly-skilled ICT related manpower has becoming a concern among investors, and even the start-up ICT companies here, because of brain-drain issue, and inability of universities to provide ready-to-be-employed graduates.

Most of the graduates who have degrees on ICT related courses, industry sources said still have to be trained by companies, because most acquire their diplomas without the strong foundation on the real field protocol.

IBM recently opened its expanded Cebu office at the Asia Town IT Park to signal the company's commitment to provide closer support service to its clients, as well as further strengthen its name in the Southern Philippine market, while competition has become stiffer.

"It's also a reconfirmation of our commitment to Cebu especially with our clients here who have been a significant contributor of the company's growth," said Velasquez.