DTI-ALBAY HOLDS THREE-DAY O.T.O.P. PROVINCIAL ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING WORKSHOP

As the lead agency in the implementation of the One-Town-One Product project of the National Government, the Department of Trade and Industry-Albay Provincial Office will hold a three-day Assessment and Planning Workshop for the Project Stakeholders on November 21-23, 2006 at the People's Hall, Albay Capitol, Legazpi City.

The activity primarily aims to evaluate the impact of the program to the various beneficiary-enterprises and at the same time to formulate plans and programs to further develop the sectors identified.

In the Province of Albay, each municipality has been identified with specific product and service distinct in the area. These products and service are categorized in three major sectors which include Gifts and Housewares (ceramics, abaca handicrafts, cutlery, seagrass products, lasa (softbroom) etc), Processed Food (Pinangat, Longanisa, Linanggang (native foods), Kalamay (sugar cane) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

To ensure that the objectives of the program are being carried out, various assistance were provided to each sector which include business counseling, skills and entrepreneurial training, product development and marketing through participation to several local, national and international trade fairs. These assistances provided were made possible through the convergence of support from Local Government Units, National Government Agencies and the Private sector.

ORIENTATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DAO No. 3 s. of 2006

The Department of Trade and Industry-Albay Provincial Office is inviting SERVICE SHOP OWNERS in the Province of Albay to attend the ORIENTATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHLOROFLUOROCARBON (CFC) PHASE-OUT PLAN on June 15, 2006, 1:30 p.m. at the DTI-Albay Conference Room, 2/F ACCI Foundation Bldg., Bonot, Legazpi City.

The Orientation aims to update the sector on the Amendments to the Implementing Rules and REgulations of DAO No. 3 s. of 2006 - Accreditation of Refrigeration and Aircon Repair and Service Enterprises. Said Department Order will take effect on July, 2006.

Interested participants may contact DTI-Albay Office at Tel. No. 820-6830 or 480-6834. First Come First Serve. Please look for Mr. Ruben Sombon. Registration is FREE.

ALBAY ICT INDUSTRY UPDATES...

THE ALBAY INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION, Inc.
The Albay Information and Communications Technology Association, Inc. (AICTA), is non-stock and non-profit organization duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under Registration Number CN200300070 on January 24, 2003.

The organization generally aims to help ensure, accelerate and sustain the growth of the ICT Industry in the Province of Albay. Specifically, it aims to: 1. Be a dynamic advocate of ICT, 2. Serve as a forum for the continued realization of the potentials of ICT as a sunrise industry and, 3. Develop a sense of belonging for the ICT sector and relate industries.

Since its inception in year 2003, the association has already accomplished a number of tangible project initiatives, among which are:

1. ICT Walking Tour to ICT Companies in Metro Manila - April 25-28, 2004
2. INFOTEK 2004 - August 5-7, 2004
3. ICT Job Caravan - August 5-6, 2004
4. Prepared the Provincial ICT Profile
5. ICT WAlking Tour - Batch 2 - Jan. 10-13, 2005
6. Consultative Meeting with Telcos Operating in ALbay - January 28, 2005
7. ICT Orientation Seminar for Albay SMED Council Members - FEb. 22, 2005
8. Albay ICT Conference - April 28, 2005
9. Curriculum Enhancement Seminar and Consultative Workshop for the Academe
June 17, 2005
10. ICT Orientation & Consultative Dialogue with Local Chief Executives in Albay
June 17, 2005
11. ICT Industry Provincial Planning Workshop facilitated by Commissioner
Damian Domingo O. Mapa of the Commission on Information and Communications
Technology - September 7, 2005
12. Regularly holds meetings and dialogues with different industry stakeholders
to obtain inputs and insights for the continuous development of the ICT
Industry in Albay.

BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING COMPANIES IN ALBAY
The Province of Albay plays host to the following Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies:

CALL CENTER
1. MBS Tek Corporation
2. Divine Word College of Legazpi

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION
1. M3 Medical Management Services Group, Inc.
2. Textswitch Unlimited, Inc.
3. Bicol Transcription Masters, Inc.
4. Mayon Transcription Services, Inc.

DATA CONVERSION/PROCESSINGS/PROGRAMMING
1. Content Online Services, Inc.
2. Creative Page Online
3. All Nations e-Language Conversion

In response to the increasing demand for medical transcriptionists, a Medical Transcription School, the MTC Academy, has set up a branch in Tabaco City. Local schools such as the SL Technological College Foundation, Divine Word College of Legazpi and Aquinas University have offered training for Call Center agents and transcriptionists.

ALBAY O.T.O.P. SHOWCASE

The Department of Trade and Industry-Albay Provincial Office and the Provincial Government of Albay jointly undertake the first Provincial ONE-TOWN-ONE-PRODUCT (OTOP) Trade Fair at the Albay Astrodome Compound, Legazpi City, Philippines on May 11-22, 2006 in celebration of the Magayon Festival 2006 of the Province of Albay.

This event is an offshoot of the DTI's and LGU's continuing efforts to develop and promote specific products or services which a particular municipality or town is known for under the OTOP-Philippines program of the government. The DTI takes the lead in the implementation of the program in coordination with LGUs and other key line agencies of the government.

The trade fair is still on-going and is participated in by the following Local Government Units (towns): 1. Tiwi-Ceramics, 2. Tabaco-Cutlery, 3. Sto. Domingo-Native Foods (linangang), 4. Daraga-Abaca products, 5. Manito-Soft broom (lasa), 6. Camalig-Pinangat, 7. Guinobatan-Longanisa, 8. Oas-Rice puto, 9. Polangui-Muscovado (kalamay) 10. Libon-Seagrass (agas).

Interested buyers can visit the site and avail of factory priced products which ranges from native delicacies/foods, cutlery, abaca bags and accessories and ceramics. The latter serves as the Regional OTOP model for Bicol.

INFOTEK 2006

INFOTEK (Information Technology) Show 2006, now on its fifth season, is a most awaited biennial event in Albay Province, Philippines. This activity is being held in celebration of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Week in the province every third week of July, and this year, it will be held on July 18-21, 2006 at the Albay Astrodome, Legazpi City. It is being spearheaded by the Albay Information & Communications Technology Association, Inc. (AICTA), a local group that actively advocates on the development of the ICT Industry in the province under the auspices of the Albay Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council.

INFOTEK 2006 primarily aims to showcase and promote the latest in Information and Communications TEchnology (hardware and software) to the local people specially the small and medium entrepreneurs; for them to appreciate, use and maximize the benefits derived in applying these latest technologies in their personal and business endeavors.

With the theme: The World Needs IT, Albay has IT, this year's show featured the following:

Exhibit and Sale of Latest Information and Communication Technology Products
and Services of 26 IT-related companies generating a total sales of P 1.5
million. This year's exhibit was participated-in by three Telecommunication
Companies, two Internet Service Providers, two Vendors of Computer
Hardwares/Supplies, three Vendors of Electronic/Office Equipment, two
Multimedia/Software Development Companies, six IT Schools and Institutions and
four Business Process Outsourcing Companies (Call Centers, Medical
Transcription and Data Conversion/Processing)

There were 19 short-duration ICT Seminars conducted participated-in by close to
2,000 participants from various sectors such as the academe, SMEs, IT
professionals, students, businessmen and other industry groups. This year's
seminars were held simultaneously in four venues, namely: Albay Astrodome,
People's Hall-Albay Capitol, Ibalong Conference Room - City Hall Compound and
at the DTI-Regional Office No. 5 Conference Room.

The ICT Job Caravan was participated-in by five Business Process Outsourcing
(BPO)companies. Around 300 applications on various available IT-related jobs
were received during the four-day activity.

Product Presentations and Demos by sponsoring companies. The presentations and
demos also served as an avenue for the IT-firms to update their clients and
prospective customers on the latest technologies and products available in the
market.

Aside from the above main features, other activities were also held during the
four-day affair. Among which are: ICT Livelihood Opportunity Seminars, Free
Internet Surfing and VOIP, Business Networking and the Showcase of Philippine
Raw Materials.

This year's show was ably supported by the Department of Trade and Industry, Provincial Government of Albay and the Albay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The successful conduct of the four-day event was also made possible through the financial and kind contribution of the following sponsors; Five-Star Sponsors: All Electronics Enterprises, Bayantel, Canon, Globe Telecoms, Philcopy, CAT College; Four-Star Sponsors: Divine Word College of Legazpi and All Nations e-Language Conversion, Inc.; Three-Star Sponsors: Informatics Computer Institute, Jasmi Compuer Arts Center, Globalink Internet and Pinoy Big Water.