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IBM continues to grow into next wave cities; taps skills in Naga with new global center

Bicol Mail

NAGA CITY — The International Business Machines (IBM) announced early this week that the company will continue to expand its operations in the Philippines this year and has identified Naga City as its next growth location.

“The expansion in Naga affirms IBM’s continued commitment to help develop talent in ‘next wave’ cities in the Philippines,” said IBM Philippines President and Country General Manager Mariels Almeda Winhoffer.

“This is consistent with our vision to make IBM an essential innovation and technology partner that will enable the country’s expansion and transformation through IBM’s Smarter Planet agenda.

Under this new agreement with Naga City, IBM will deliver its “next generation” business process solutions to a broad range of clients in the fields of Human Resources, Finance and Accounting, Supply Chain Management, Customer Relationship Management, and Application Services.

With a number of leading colleges and universities in the city, Naga has a strong pool of talent making it an attractive location for IBM’s latest investment and laying the foundation for future growth.

Cassandra Soto, Philippines delivery leader for IBM Global Process Services, said that “by locating our global operations in emerging growth cities like Naga City, IBM is able to bring world-class career opportunities closer to more Filipinos and enhance the country’s competitiveness in the continuously thriving business process outsourcing industry.”

“In addition, this facility further strengthens IBM’s existing service delivery capability in the Philippines, which serves over a million clients across 84 countries,” Soto said.

IBM Global Process Services currently operates in three key cities in Metro Manila, where it maintains a number of established delivery centers, particularly in Quezon City, Makati City, and Pasig City.  It aims to bring to Naga the same business process solutions expertise and wide global reach it has developed in these locations over the years.

IBM’s presence in the Philippines spans over 75 years.  In the past few years, IBM has made substantial investments in the country, expanding its business portfolio, growing talent, extending geographic reach, and boosting skills development as it anticipates exponential growth around the country.

This is in line with IBM’s geographical expansion strategy to expand beyond Metro Manila to key markets like Naga.

Cheaper goods benefit families in DTI Diskwento Caravan

Bicol Mail

The Department of Trade and Industry is holding a simultaneous nationwide “Diskwento Caravan: Balik-Eskwela Edition” this May 2013.  The discount fair aims to address the clamor from consumers to have greater access to lower-priced basic and prime commodities in preparation for the start of school-year 2013-14.

The local government of Naga City, through its Local Price Coordinating Council, the Naga City Social Welfare and Development Office (NCSWDO) and the Arts Culture and Tourism Office (ACTO), worked with DTI-Camarines Sur in organizing the “Tabang Pamilya” Diskwento Fair which was held at the Naga City Peoples’ Hall, Naga City Hall Compound, last May 9 to 10, 2013.

DTI has invited local distributors to sell products which are of interest to households and students, including school supplies, shoes, bags and uniforms, personal grooming products, and food products (“pambaon” and household use).  Products will be sold at prices with 15% to 75% discount as compared with prevailing retail prices.

In Camarines Sur, the provincial office has identified two areas where the Diskwento Caravan will be held – the first one at the Naga City Hall Compound, and a second one at the ABS-CBN Naga Compound, Panganiban Drive, Naga City.

The “Tabang Pamilya” Diskwento Fair intends to benefit families with solo parents, and households within and below the poverty line in Naga City and neighboring towns.  These are the target beneficiaries of the city social welfare and development office, to lighten the burdens of families with schoolchildren.

‘Diskwento’ sidelights or added bonus include discounted rates  for massage and reflexology services, courtesy of the graduates of the training of the Naga City Spa Center, which is a project of the Naga City government.  There will also be discounted cosmetology (manicure, haircut) services courtesy of the beneficiaries of trainings of the Naga City Council for Women.

The Diskwento Caravan in separate venues are to be held on the following dates:  (a) the  “Tabang Pamilya” Diskwento Fair at the Naga City Peoples’Hall, Naga City Hall Compound, on May 9 to 10, 2013; and (b) the “Summer Diskwento Caravan:

“Balik Eskwela Edition” at the ABS-CBN Compound in Panganiban Avenue, Naga City on May 20 to 21, 2013.

Towards achieving economic growth: Leni, kababaihan lead charge for women entrepreneurship

By Jason B. Neola
Bicol Mail

NAGA CITY — Women entrepreneurs are being tapped here to become the backbone of a new thrust towards economic growth through sustainable livelihood programs that stress self-reliance and the dignity of those in marginalized sectors rather than seeing them as mere recipients of  dole outs.

Atty. Leni G. Robredo, Liberal Party’s standard bearer in the May 13 contest for the 3rd Congressional District, is leading the movement, believing in the power of women to be at the forefront of development and change.

The idea is being carried out thru the establishment of a slew of livelihood programs in the district’s 7 municipalities in partnership with the Lakas ng Kababaihan, a women empowerment organization which was founded in this city more than 15 years ago.

The agenda aims to provide the constituents especially the members of the women sector and poor families in the towns of Pili, Ocampo, Camaligan, Canaman, Bombon, Magarao, and Calabanga with additional sources of income.  Her group has already formed organizations of women-residents who are now availing of the services under the program, except in the town of Pili which has yet to be organized this month.

Women comprise the majority of the province’s labor force but have yet to be fully engaged in efforts to bring families here out of the rut of poverty.

“By providing them the opportunity to augment their income, we also intend to free the residents from the clutch of political dole outs and patronage, a situation which I personally witnessed in my sorties outside the city.  The situation is really deplorable,” she said.

The 48-year-old widow of Secretary Jesse M. Robredo of the Dept. of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the idea is expected to lessen the difficulties being felt by poor residents due to poverty by way of helping them to avail of readily available assistance being offered by national government agencies (NGAs) like TESDA, DOLE, and DTI.

Already, Robredo and her group has come up with an inventory of various types of assistance that can be obtained from the agencies and a list of possible beneficiaries who are willing to put up small and micro enterprises like salted egg production, hard and soft broom manufacturing, production of charcoal briquettes with water hyacinth as base material, bags made of water lilies and many other products using indigenous and recycled materials.

Robredo said her group is also conducting trainings and capability-building seminars for residents who wish to become beneficiaries of the program and intend to run similar businesses.

“Our people should be helped to improve their own capabilities.  We should inspire them to discover their own strength and potentials and allow them to realize that they can achieve a beautiful life without depending too much from dole outs and patronage being offered by traditional politicians who cannot even present a credible and sustainable program that will provide the residents with the opportunity to achieve economic development.”

Robredo along with the Lakasng Kababaihan were able to identify all the livelihood programs readily available in national government agencies and other livelihood assistance like TESDA, DOLE, DTI and others, serving to bridge the gap between the women sector here and the resources needed by them to become full-fledged entrepreneurs.