Good news: Philippine tech firms flourishing

More RP firms to join Asia’s biggest ICT trade shows

By JUDITH BALEA

April 9, 2008

“We are seeing a 10-percent growth in the number of exhibitors coming from the Philippines. Last year, there were about a hundred. Among them were big industry players PLDT, Globe Telecom, Innove, Smart, Prime Software and Mabuhay Satellite,” said Victor Wong, project director of event organizer Singapore Exhibition Services.

Wong said the trade shows, which also serve as a platform for business deals and partnerships, are expected to pool together over 2,500 participating companies from 65 countries this year.

CommunicAsia and Broadcast Asia will focus on technologies such as 3G, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), broadband, next-generation networks and mobile applications IPTV and mobile TV. The trade events will also feature some media broadcasting technologies, including broadcasting-to-handheld, digital media asset management, immersive tech, HD technology and professional audio technology.

Also at BroadcastAsia, a Japanese broadcasting company will launch for the first time the SHV or Super Hi Vision format, also known as Ultra High Definition. This video format has a resolution that is 16 times higher than the existing HD resolution.

Wong said over 3,600 interested parties, including small and medium enterprises, have already pre-registered for the event. Of the number, about 1,400 are expected to spend approximately $800 million in booked deals with trade exhibitors.

From 2005 to 2007, CommunicAsia and BroadcastAsia saw an increase of 28 percent in total visitors from the Philippines. This reflects a continued expansion in the country’s information and communication technology market, with overall IT spending exceeding the $2-billion mark this year, according to research analyst IDC.

Supporting the Philippine’s participation at the trade events are government agencies Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines, Commission on Information and Communications Technology and Center for International Trade Expo and Missions.