The Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) aims to bolster and sustain the creation and commercial distribution of software products created in the country through the Product Development Special Interest Group (PD/SIG), an official of the organization said.

By 2016, PSIA aims to achieve global recognition for at least 10 Filipino software products and generate approximately $1 million in annual export revenues. Joey Gurango, president of Gurango Software Corp. said that, “The Philippine software industry will continue to succeed based on two factors: delivering deep technical and professional expertise in specific niches where we can be the best global providers, and creating software intellectual property that will allow Philippine-based companies to achieve ‘top of the food chain’ status within the global software ecosystem.”

He said that the group’s founding members, who are veterans of PSIA, saw the need to further improve the visibility of software products throughout the association and ultimately the local information technology industry at large.

The group is eyeing an increase in active members to at least 50 companies at the end of 2012.

“This year, we will continue our educational and capability development programs from 2012, such as quarterly workshops on various business-building topics specific to software products,” said Gurango.

Since the group’s founding in August 2011, there has been a “nascent software products movement in the Philippines,” according to Gurango.

“Still, a lot needs to be done in terms of evangelism, capability development, and coaching—areas which the PD/SIG hopes to contribute its energies into,” he said.

Gurango added that the challenges ranged from idea generation and innovation, software product go-to-market strategies to organizational and capability development. PD/SIG supports members through development of business plans and product pitching to foreign venture capital. The group also sets up marketing subsidies for companies with market-ready products and forged tie-ups with software vendors, infrastructure providers, communications providers, and groups such as the Philippine Development Foundation, People Management Association of the Philippines, and Brain Gain Network.

Meanwhile, PSIA extends its role to support this group through branding initiatives with the Business Processing Association of the Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry for product development and intellectual property portfolio in marketing efforts.

“We will be showcasing the first batch of software products that PD/SIG will assist in becoming globally successful. These efforts aim to encourage more software product ‘technopreneurship’ in the Philippines and, consequently, more attract more members into PD/SIG,” said Gurango.