|
ADIDAS endorser Washington Wizard Gilbert Arenas’ “Agent Zero
Tour” stopover in Manila included a heart warming visit to a Gawad
Kalinga project in Quezon City.
In the spirit of promoting basketball as a
brotherhood—and promoting the corporate social responsibility
credentials of adidas—Arenas’ visit to an adidas—adopted GK
community in Quezon City was the perfect climax to his four-day
visit.
Struck by recent flooding, the community has
undergone grave challenges. As part of adidas’ mission to give
back and to help promote sports among the youth, Arenas headed off
to the area to personally turnover a basketball court adidas donated
to the community.
Adidas Managing Director Joey Singian says,
“We believe that sports— specifically basketball—is one the
best ways to help the youth foster brotherhood and camaraderie. The
sport brings people together in the spirit of wholesome fun and
unity.
“That is why this event is very important to
us. We have embraced it as our mission to help improve lives through
providing facilities that encourage love for the game. And bringing
NBA star Gilbert Arenas to such an event just goes to show our
commitment to this cause.”
___
Europe-based software firms are pursuing
business opportunities in the country, following their participation
in I.T. Ignite, a networking session hosted by Microsoft
Philippines.
“I personally am returning to the Philippines
for more in-depth meetings with potential partners. We are already
bringing work to the region and we will commit time and resources to
maintain a presence. We are also expanding our operations directly
as a result of attending this delegation,” said Mark Purdon,
managing director of Avinteno, a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner
and technology solutions organization from Scotland.
I.T. Ignite is a Microsoft Partner Program which
enables local software companies to showcase their edge and present
partnership opportunities to foreign firms.
“More than just providing a networking venue,
the initiative also spurs growth in the local industry,” said
Rafael Rollan, managing director, Microsoft Philippines.
“We at Microsoft are confident in the skills
of Filipinos. We want to highlight the competitive and world-class
capabilities of our local developers and they deserve to be exposed
through ventures like I.T. Ignite. Through this, Filipino companies
can develop and grow as they should, and contribute to the
development of the country’s economy,” added Rollan.
Networking sessions enabled Filipino partners to
discuss their firm’s strengths and expertise with the visiting
businessmen, who in turn, elaborated on what their company requires.
“I am pleased to note that our efforts to
convince UK companies in the IT sector to look at potential business
opportunities in the Philippines is beginning to show fruit. I am
confident that the UK companies who participated in the recent trade
mission will find appropriate Philippine partners and will spread
the good news about the Philippine IT industry,” said British
Ambassador Peter Beckingham.
“Through the Worldwide Microsoft Partner
Program, Avinteno learned of potential outsourcing opportunities in
the Philippine region, principally in Manila. We were impressed by
the professionalism and hospitality of the Philippine companies.
We’ve begun to outsource some of our operations in the area and
we’re sourcing potential commercial property as well to aid and
support our UK-based operations,” stated Purdon. “Avinteno would
recommend any IT company to look at the potential outsourcing
opportunities in the Philippines.”
According to Rollan, the Microsoft Partner
Program also assists local firms in improving their quality
standards and achieving certification. “We are firing up global
opportunities for local software developers. Microsoft believes in
the world-class skills and capabilities of Filipinos and we are
inviting foreign counterparts to leverage on these skills as these
will certainly add more value to their businesses,” he said.
I.T. Ignite is also part of Microsoft’s
undertakings in support of the national information and
communications technology campaign, dubbed as “FLY HIGH:
Philippine Software 2010.”
The campaign seeks to boost and accelerate the
growth of the Philippine software industry by focusing on key
priority areas of development, including developing skilled software
professionals and increasing software exports.
bizzfizz_98@yahoo.com
|
