E-commerce to keep
IT sector afloat in 2001
By Erwin Lemuel G. Oliva
Inquirer.net

THE IMPEACHMENT trial, Metro Manila bombings and the country’s economic woes would not likely distract the local IT industry because most companies would not risk holding back services in reaction to the current political crisis.

"I think the IT industry here is more service-oriented. I don't see why IT service providers would hold back their services just to make a political statement. IT services are demand-driven, such that business will go on, as long as there is a demand. I think that the demand is there, so I do not think that there is a standstill in the local IT industry," Ramon "Ike" Señeres, director general of the National Computer Center, told the INQUIRER when asked about his outlook for the local IT sector in 2001.

Señeres pointed out, for instance, that IT firms engaged in e-commerce-related goods and services will make money this year.

He, however, admitted that "money problems" could affect local IT business, but quickly pointed out that both the private and government sector could not postpone projects that requires investments on technology.

"So business will go on," Señeres stressed.

The computer agency head pointed out that information system plans of "most government agencies are already approved, or are in the process of being updated." He said government has already allocated budgets for most of these government IT projects.

"There is no reason why government IT projects will not move forward. Contractors of IT projects are bound by their commitments to proceed, so they will also proceed," said Señeres.

"My wish for government is that we will be able to build and deliver everything that the E-commerce Law requires us, which includes the building of a government website portal, the government information infrastructure, RPWeb, and the transactional websites," the director general stated.

"For the private sector, my wish for them is to develop more global products and services, and for them to gain global market shares for their product lines. Of course that should include both offshore and outsourcing accounts," Señeres said.