Internet cafés still thrive despite mobile web access

CEBU, Philippines - In spite of the rise of mobile web access through portable gadgets such as laptops, netbooks, iPads, or personal computers at home, internet cafés still continue to be strong to the masses.

Dexter Tundag, a first year high school student finds internet cafés affordable and helpful to his studies because he can make researches and print his paperworks even though he doesn’t have a personal computer at home.

A college student, Rheajen Gabayan, spends P120 every week in internet cafés to visit Facebook and other sites after doing some research.

Although sales on internet café have declined, café caretakers admitted that it did not have a huge impact to their business since online games and social networking sites are making it a hit.

“Nihinay gyud ang halin pero more or less, dili dako’g impact kay naa man gihapon mi mga customers nga suki na namo sauna pa,” Marinel Oro, caretaker of JR Internet at Consolacion said. (Although, the sales have declined, it is only very minimal since we have already established regular customers.)

She added that during holidays and special events, they give discounted rates to their customers and normally, for online games, the maximum charge per hour is P13, P7 for half an hour and P5 as the minimum for 20 minutes. They also offer extensions and open time wherein people can opt to use the Internet as long as they want and pay it afterwards.

“Kusog ang online games for kids, most of them are from elementary while social networking ug chat for adults,” Oro continued.

Moreover, Tricksturr Internet Café Secretary Adelfa Ruedas confirmed that their business sales have dropped compared to before.

“Sauna kay kusog pa kayo. Karon, medyo nihinay na jud,” she said. (Before, the business was really upbeat but now, it has slowed down.)

Ruedas also said that they deducted the normal price of P15 for three pesos to attract more online gamers composed of elementary and high school students.

Jhio Trillo, an eleven year-old child and nine-year old Mernalie Mendoza said they make sure they are done with their homeworks or they don’t have classes before going to internet cafés.

“Mananghid pa sa ko sa akong ginikanan kon sugtan bako,” Mendoza told The Freeman. (I would always ask permission from my parents if they would allow me.)

Trillo added that he spends P5 to visit Friv.com and play online games such as Tetris for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Pilipinas Anti-Piracy Team (PAPT) has committed itself to inspections on business establishments suspected of using unlicensed software commencing and ensures that business owners have been installing fully licensed software in their businesses.

Software piracy is the unauthorized copying or distribution of copyrighted software. This can be done by copying, downloading, sharing, selling, or installing multiple copies onto personal or work computers. If one makes more copies of the software than the license permits, it is a form of piracy and thus breaking the law.

One of the ways to avoid software piracy is to load and use licensed software on one computer at a time and not to make more than one copy of the program for back-up purposes.

PAPT has been successful in its intensive drive on anti-piracy on 2011 targeting Metro Manila, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Davao, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro and other business centers in the country and this year, aiming Northern Luzon and Central Visayas to counteract the negative effects of software piracy on the local IT industry and the economy.

Software piracy is a violation of Republic Act 9239 or the Optical Media Act and is a crime punishable by up to nine years imprisonment and a fine of up to P1.5 million under Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. - THE FREEMAN