Thursday, March 27, 2008 N. Mindanao SMEs tapped for mobile computing growth By Danilo Adorador III
LEADING players in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry are eyeing Northern Mindanao's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as potential growth area for mobile computing market.
Ernel T. Esplanada, area sales manager of Filipino-owned laptop-maker Neo, said they are determined to tap the region's 30,000 SMEs in the mobile computing trend.
"When you talk about added value, affordability and more productivity, then mobile computing is the way," Esplanada told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro during the sidelines of the half-day mobility seminar for SMEs Wednesday.
The seminar, sponsored by Neo along with computer processor-maker Intel and software giant Microsoft, walked the participants through on the business advantages choosing mobile personal computers than desktop PCs.
Wowie Wong, Intel channel account manager, pointed out that compared to desktop PCs running on 350 to 550 watts, electronic notebooks running on 65 watts can save businesses 57 percent to 71 percent on electric bills.
"The ownership cost for desktop PCs is huge compared to notebooks maintenance and other costs factored in," he said. "Of course, not included here is the mobility factor, which translates to greater productivity."
George Parrilla, marketing manager for Microsoft Southern Philippines, highlighted the security, usability, and functionality edge of new generation notebooks running with the company's Vista operating system.
With a powerful OS, laptops will transform the way people create and share information, and that means a lot for those in the ICT business. That means our SMEs can now maximize their full potential through technology.
Liza VM. Alcantar, Chief, Industry and Investments Division of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Northern Mindanao, said SMEs are poised to play a bigger role in the mobile computing business.
Alcantar cited that SMEs comprise about 99.6 percent of all registered businesses nationwide, and employs 69.9 percent of the labor force-contributing 32 percent to the economy.
"SMEs are the true engine of growth in the country and, with technology around, we can help these businesses fuel national growth," she said.
