RP seen as potential E-commerce leader

The Philippines has the long-term potential of becoming an Asian leader of the electronic-commerce in the new millennium, it was disclosed yesterday in Chicago by Bob Curry, co-founder and technology director of Iemagine, the oldest American firm dedicated to software rental applications. Curry was a former lead developer for IBM software systems.

The global Internet economy is estimated at $2.8 trillion today, e-commerce accounting for slightly less than one-half of this figure. By 2004 estimated global Internet sales transactions will reach a mind-boggling $105 trillion all over the world.

According to Curry the Filipino entrepreneurial spirit has come of age and is suited to the needs of the global e-commerce, particularly the software and service sectors.

Most recent Philippine economic performance support this contention. Official records show that the United States recorded more than half of the $7.9-billion imports in 1999 in the form of semi-conductors.

The US also recorded a 17-fold increase in computer imports from the Philippines between 1993 and 1999, the American Electronics Association (AEA) said.

However, Curry said it is in software applications business that the Philippines stands to gain momentum in the current decade over other Asian competitors, given the right atmosphere for e-business to flourish.

Iemagine, he said, has initially programmed the introduction into the Philippines of a highly-sophisticated Rent-and-Ready Instant Web ware for Lotus/Domino host platform, the dominant software in the Philippines used by IBM-compatible computers. IBM and Encanto are Iemagine's partners in promoting and reselling its products.

In the next few months, Curry said, Iemagine will introduce locally a unique software that can be ordered through the web online and instantly for business applications.

This instant online web ware will offer to Filipino businesses a "try-before-you-buy, or pay-as-you-go" solution to small and big business alike, at a fraction of the cost of existing software.

A prospective user must be registered with the local service reseller for access to the business application for a set period of time, or on a month-to-month basis.

Iemagine.com rent-and-ready online business software applications include sales and marketing, customer service, channel management and workplace safety solutions.

Iemagine.com plans to introduce very soon in the Philippines its wide range of software services in a progressive manner, broadening the offerings as the demand arises, Curry said.

Curry said he has chosen the Philippines as the main Iemagine Asian office and jump off point for its expansion program in the region.