IBM pushes technology use to boost Davao SMEs

SOFTWARE and business solutions provider, IBM Philippines, Inc. will take an aggressive stance in promoting the use of technology to boost the performance of small and medium enterprises (SME).

Further enhancing its SME Technology Center at the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. IBM continues to call on small and medium enterprises to take a look at what technology can do to boost their businesses.

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"The technology to be shared by the hardware software developer will expose the local SME's to information technology. The system will show IT as a partner, a tool for business growth," Marian Cruz-Hormigos, territory marketing manager of IBM Philippines, said during a roundtable discussion Friday.

IBM Philippines, together with the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII), and ICT Davao inked a partnership for the first time in the advocacy of addressing the needs of SMEs through innovation and technology last October.

The memorandum of agreement provides that IBM will bring its knowledge in SME solutions in Mindanao through the Davao City SME Center to provide IBM partners and local developers an avenue to innovate and advocate.

IBM will make available to DCCCII one (1) Blade Server unit inclusive of peripherals and enablement kit, and trainings.

In addition, ICT Davao is also committed to market/promote the SME Center as a training/advocacy tool for Davao SMEs, access to SME Toolkit and other Open Source tools (i.e. IBM Lotus Symphony), and manage and oversee maintenance of their three (3) donated desktop PCs and other IT peripherals.

The SME Technology Center will serve as the heart of the Davao City SME Center as it extends IBM's aim of making a substantial contribution to SMEs especially in cities where IBM's geo-expansion initiatives are concentrated.