Outsourcing IT services gives various companies flexibility on hiring manpower for certain IT projects depending on the specialized skills required. Dustin Andaya, CEO and Marketing Director of Island Rose, shared his insights on IT outsourcing as he joined four other IT executives in the country in discussing the matter for the month’s CIO  Roundtable with Computerworld Philippines. This article was written for Computerworld Philippines.

IT outsourcing  has been growing steady ground over the past years, especially that IT organizations are always on the lookout for cheaper – but not less efficient – ways of going about with their work.

With IT outsourcing, firms are given the opportunity to tap specialized skill  sets without the need to train manpower, who will potentially transfer to other, higher-paying jobs in the long run, expensive training and skills in tow.

Outsourcing various parts of IT also helps firms innovate, because they are given the chance to focus more on their core competencies, and less on “keeping the lights on” for IT. Continue reading →

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This article was written by Riza Olchondra and published in Philippine Daily Inquirer.

ISLANDROSE.NET, the largest wholesaler and retailer of roses in the Philippines, aims to grow roots outside the Philippines to sustain growth, founder and marketing director Dustin Andaya said in an interview.

“We want to go regional. We launched a beta site in Hong Kong last year. It’s a strategic market especially since we’re just testing,” Andaya said Saturday on the sidelines of the Click! Technopreneurs’ Summit in SM Mall of Asia.

About nine years since launching the online business to drive growth for Philippine Cut Flower Corp., the Andaya family’s farm established in 1983, Andaya said that he sees the Philippines’ neighbors as the next frontier.

“When we started, overseas Filipino workers were our top customers and now locals are out-pacing foreign-based Pinoys in terms of orders. The next challenge for us is going regional,” he said. Continue reading →

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Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) hosted the Asian Productivity Organization  (APO) 50th Workshop Meeting of Heads National Productivity Organization’s (NPOs) last October 20th to 22nd at the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

The workshop was attended by the Heads of National Productivity Organizations from APO countries. The participants includes from Japan, Korea, Republic of China (Taiwan), India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Iram, Pakistan, Camobodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Fiji, Vietnamn, Singapore, Thailand, Nepal, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Projects for 2010 were finalized. Program plans for 2011 and 2012 to be implemented by member countries were discussed as well. Continue reading →

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This article was written by Ronald James P. Panis and was published in Computerworld last October 30, 2009.

With a rosy cut flower business in the Philippines for more than 25 years now, Philippine Cut Flower Corporation (PCFC) assures that it’s not only a green thumb and a love for flowers that keep their offerings in bloom. Information technology has very much helped their company blossom–as proven primarily by its official e-commerce site, www.islandrose.net.

Specializing in Dutch and French variety flowers grown under the cool Tagaytay climate, Island Rose lets people order their high quality roses straight from the farm for delivery. Working with the best logistic companies such as LBC, DHL, and Fedex (Air 21), Island Rose also assures that its roses will arrive fresh — or, approximately 72 hours after harvest, as the website claims — to anywhere in the Philippines. Continue reading →

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