CyberPress elects officers for 2011-2012

The Information Technology Journalists Association of the Philipppines Inc. (CyberPress) elected its new set of officers in a general assembly held Monday at Jump Experience Center at Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

Elected to the 20011-2012 board of officers were: Paolo Montecillo of Philippine Daily Inquirer (president), JM Tuazon of TV5/Interaksyon.com (vice president for internal affairs), Jing Garcia of TV5/Interaksyon.com (vice president for external affairs), TJ Dimacali of GMANews.tv (secretary), Verns Joven of Philstar.com (finance committee head), Marlon Magtira of Newsbytes.ph/Techbytes.ph (membership committee head ) and Melvin Calimag of Newsbytes.ph (election and constitutional amendments officer).

“The new set of officers looks forward to another productive year. In today’s connected world, now more than ever, we take our role as industry watchers more seriously,” Montecillo said.

“We have slated several activities this year, in line with our goal to bring the awareness about the importance of IT in our daily lives to a national scale,” he added.

CyberPress was formed in 1996 with an aim to unite IT journalists in bringing technical information more accessible to non-technical readers and educating the general public on issues concerning technological developments and industry. A goal of the organization is also to promote the use of various technologies that are creating an impact to modern Filipino society.

CyberPress is the pioneering organization of IT writers in the country working together to achieve common goals of promoting responsible journalism in the IT beat and fostering better appreciation for technology while cultivating a harmonious IT ecosystem in the country.

ABS-CBN: No reason to delay DTV rollout

Lopez-owned broadcasting giant ABS-CBN, which has been undertaking digital terrestrial TV (DTT) test broadcasts since August, said last week that the public is already clamoring for a shift to digital TV and that there’s no reason to further delay its rollout.

DTT is also known by the term digital TV or DTV.

ABS-CBN marketing executive Miguel Mercado said in a media briefing in San Fernando, Pampanga that “test broadcasts on DTT have convinced free-TV or non-cable households that digital TV migration will give them clearer and better quality viewing experience.”

Mercado said the wide channel options enabled by the digital multi-frequency platform, as well as the dramatic improvement of signal quality or reception, is key source of satisfaction for viewers of DTT.

Ninety percent of the total Philippine viewing public is on non-cable free-TV, according to an ABS-CBN study.

The TV network began its DTT trial broadcasts in August this year in selected households belonging to D-E sectors in the towns of Mexico in Pampanga, and San Miguel, San Ildefonso, and San Rafael in Bulacan.

The DTT trial broadcasts were spurred by a National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) memorandum circular in 2010, which picked the Japanese standard ISDB-T (Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial) as the country’s DTT platform.

In its circular, the NTC noted ISDB-T is much affordable over Europe’s DVB-T or Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial.

An ABS-CBN report, for instance, quotes an ISDB-T set-top box as 60 percent cheaper than DVB-T at P2,500.

Other broadcast networks that have undertaken DTT test broadcast in the country include Net-25, GemTV, and government TV station NBN (National Broadcasting Network).

The NTC decision, however, is still under review by Malacanang as the government is reportedly is keen on giving a second look at DVB-T.

GMA-7, which has also relayed its intention to migrate to digital TV, is supporting the European standard DVB-T.

IPVG to transfer assets to new private firm

While its subsidiaries are going public, tech conglomerate IPVG is doing the opposite — it is going back to being a private company.

In a press briefing Friday, the Yuchengco-led firm announced that it will take on a new business plan that will transfer all assets and liabilities of IPVG to a new private holding company, which will retain the same technology conglomerate ownership structure.

The purpose of the restructuring plan is to increase shareholder value and raise more cash for IPVG, the company said.

IPVG CEO Enrique Gonzalez justified the move by saying that the current IPVG share price does not reflect the value of the company.

“We intend to replicate IPVG under a private scheme, so we can properly value based on net asset value method and we can tap private equity. The new plan will position us better to fully unlock and realize our true values at the holding company level,” Gonzales said.

“Our group has evolved much over the years. In the beginning, we incubated all these start-up businesses under IPVG. It made sense to bulk up and raise money at the parent level during those early years. Now that we have grown into a full-blown tech conglomerate, our subsidiaries are either public or on the way to going public.

“Our philosophy has changed. We are now focused on taking the operating companies public. This changes the role of our parent or investment holding company quite a bit, hence the new plan,” Gonzalez said.

IPVG operates 12 subsidiary companies in the country with about 3,000 employees. In the group of 12 companies, 3 are public, and another few are in joint ventures with large organizations including PCCW Teleservices, GMA7, and Kennet Partners (USA), Western Union, Salesforce.com, and Google Enterprise Solutions.

In the first quarter of 2011, IPVG generated over P300 million in net income, surpassing its 2010 performance of P145 million.

IPVG acquired Netopia chain of internet cafes in the country, and secured agreements to acquire the CyBr and I.T. log chains. IPVG owns the Station 168 and i-Hooked barnds of i-cafes, bringing its total retail stores to about 200 establishments nationwide with approximately 8,000 seats, which make up almost 10 percent of total seats in the Philippines.

IPVG’s remittance business under the Western Union brand has reached 407 outlets as of July 2, 2011.

“When we look at our retail business, we want to become the dominant player in our category. We think in thousands not hundreds over the next three years,” Gonzales said.

Epson holds 2nd ‘Fusion’ media event

Epson Fusion Media Adventure 2011 brought us to Mabini, Batangas last weekend. One of the highlights of the event was scuba diving at Twin Rocks off Anilao’s coast.

This years’ “fusion” is the second of Epson Philippines’ annual event intended to sum up the highlights of the company’s marketing and sales efforts in the country (The first “fusion” was held in Bicol last year). The event also provided a glimpse of what’s ahead for Epson in the next few months.

According to Jay Lavarias, Epson Philippines’ business systems group head, the company posted 14 percent over all sales growth at the end of fiscal year 2010 versus 2009 with the following breakdown: inkjets and laser printers, 17 percent; business systems, 11 percent; visual instruments, 13 percent; and commercial and industrial, 18 percent.

Lavarias said that Epson product offering will further address lowering of total cost of ownership in 2011 with 13 new models that set to be launched for the corporate market.

“With focus on the corporate segment, Epson’s first foray into digital label press addressing the labeling and packaging business will be introduced, while expanding our product range of A3+ and roll media for large format papers,” Lavarias said.

New POS printers designed for other applications outside retail including aviation, healthcare and logistics will also be offered by Epson in 2011.

New all-in-one models previously designed as passbook printers for banks will be made available for related industries such as bills payment centers and education sectors.

For visual instruments, Epson is geared to expand beyond traditional use of projectors by enhancing its portfolio of home theater projectors equipped with 3LCD technology. “3LCD is a sophisticated, innovative technology that uses 3 chips to deliver vibrant, true-to-life images for the most demanding business and consumer audiences,” Lavarias said.

Epson Philippines’ targets 17-percent over-all sales growth for fiscal year 2011 with 73-percent growth for the commercial and industrial group and 47 percent for visual instruments. This is due to expansion of product portfolio for new markets that are expected to bring bigger sales growth. Targets for inkjets and laser printers  and business systems are 17 percent and 8 percent respectively.

Roe Dillera, Epson Philippines’ marketing communications and public relations head provided a sneak preview of the global corporate vision of the company dubbed “SE15 Vision” of Seiko Epson 2015 Vision.

“We will pursue perfection of our three precision mechatronics-based core technologies – Micro Piezo, 3LCD, and QMEMS technologies) and create products and services that exceed customer expectations in the printing, projection, and sensing domains,” Dillera said.