All time Filipino Geek

Diosdado Banatao, Dado as famously called, is the first Filipino engineer-entrepreneur who made it all happen in Silicon valley. He's undoubtedly the first Filipino geek whose work and accomplishments have helped shaped and revolutionized the PC industry in the early 80s. Dado who grew up in a secluded farming area in Cagayan Valley, is the ultimate symbol and proof that Filipinos, with diverse backgrounds, can make it big in the world through perseverance, hard work and continuous search for excellence.

Who will be the next Dado? Will he be a Cebuano? Let's see. Hope we all can drew inspirations from him, the father of all Geeks.

Asiaweek's write-up on Dado

A must to read book for aspiring Technopreneurs

The newest edition of the book entitled Rice and Chips by Dennis Posadas was already released and now available in National bookstore. In this book, Dennis attempts to present success stories and strategies modeled after the famed US Silicon Valley and how it could be replicated locally. I personally recommend reading of this book to IT startups, technopreneurs, technology innovators, IT practitioners, and academic institutions to gain deeper understanding of how technology, innovation and entrepreneurship forge each other to create a successful and blossoming economy in Asia, particularly Philippines.

Grab a copy now!

Morph blazes Open Source Innovations in Cebu

Morph Labs Inc. a sister company of Exist recently opened its software lab in Cebu City at the ground floor of i1 building at the Asiatown IT Park. The company becomes the newest hi-tech startup and IT enabled company to have located in Asiatown IT Park this year.

Morph is the first solution and technology enabler in Asia to venture into Software as as Service (SaaS) applications. Morph simplified innovations allow customers and subscribers to rent for software for a particular service as needed. This cut costs and gives more flexibility to customers specially companies and firms engaged in service provider industry.

Morph leverages the use of open source softwares, ideas and technologies into its products and service platforms. This approach enables the delivery of full range of services and features within a short development time. This also cultivates the growth of open source community and developers in Cebu which in general has been dormant in the last few years. Morph's vision and unique style would pave way for more hi-tech and open source-based startups to pop out in Cebu in the not so distant future.

Give way to open source, give way to Morph! Let's welcome the new kids on the park.

Red pills are being handed out at the doors of Morph. Hurry, apply now!

Easing the traffic woes

A sight of relief to people commuting along the Ban-Tal (Banilad-Talamban) area which of late has become a sign of the worsening traffic condition Cebu City has ever faced. Construction of an overpass along the Ban-Tal area is underway, thanks mainly to the government's strong move to put the project in place. Earlier, the project was a subject of resistance and objections among the business sectors and affluent residential communities in the area. Their objections were based on the possible impact of the project that it could shun consumers and potential costumers away from shopping in the area, particularly the Banilad Town Center.

All said and done, the Ban-Tal overpass project will benefit the majority of commuters, specially a thousand of workers and students coming from the upper Talamban who have to beat the morning and evening rush.

Cebu's Streetpreneurs

On every major streets and corners of Cebu City, you will see these people selling anything from rags, bottled waters, newspapers, cigarettes, candies, fruits, sunglasses, toys, home decors, etc. They are streetpreneurs. A lower class of Cebuano entrepreneurs who earn by selling goods to passing motorists and pedestrians. They symbolize the Cebuanos high entrepreneurial spirit and the whole city considered as the trading capital of the south.

Here's my latest acquisition from an streetpreneur, a cool artwork!

Hottest IT Job

This would be the second wave, the hot steaming Java again is taking Cebu by storm, so with a large number of programmers (special mention to our friends at NEC). Undeniably, Java is coming strong, fueled by a surge in demand of skilled Java programmers in Singapore, the US and IT companies abroad. If your looking for a good chances of working overseas, at this time, Java is the way to go.

Cebu, Poaching Site for IT Engineers

As of this writing, 40 IT engineers that I knew have already left Cebu since January this year to work for Singapore based IT companies. An average of 4 IT engineers a month! Thats just a fraction of the whole number of IT engineers who left the country to work abroad.

Is this good or bad? A brain-drain or brain-gain? There is no definite answer, it could be either or both.

Usually, experienced IT engineers seek for high paying jobs abroad. Earn enough to build a house and buy a car then come back home and settle for good. Thus, returnees bring skills and technologies which would benefit the local companies they work for upon their return. On the other hand, junior IT engineers usually stay and buildup experience and skills for a period of 2 to 3 years before going abroad. So I would say, its still a win-win scenario. Not so bad at all.

The most effective way to stop our IT engineers from leaving would be to increase their pay, comparable (i mean not really equal) to what they earn if they work abroad. To achieve this, we have to build a very strong software industry locally and reach global, just like the Japanese auto industry.