to run June 22 to 24
Key players from the global ICT industry expected to converge in Cebu City

(Manila, Philippines, May 10, 2005) — Cebu ICT 2005, a three-day international conference and exhibition focusing on information and communications technology (ICT) and IT-enabled services (ITES), will be conducted June 22-24, 2005, at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City. The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) is organizing the event.

Organized in cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Board of Investments, Cebu ICT 2005 is one of a series of activities organized by CCCI in conjunction with Cebu Business Month (CBM). CBM is an annual trade and industry festival that attracts entrepreneurs, local and foreign investors, tourists, local and national government executives.

The conference, “Asia’s Emerging Role as a Global Center for ICT and IT-Enabled Services,” is intended to address issues related to Asia’s emergence as a technology and ITES hub.

“The conference and exhibition aims to promote Asia as a global ICT and ITES center by bringing together key ICT and ITES executives from around Asia and the world for three days of high-level discussion and interaction,” said Bonifacio Belen, CEBU ICT 2005 chairman. “The exhibition will showcase the products and services of global, regional, and Philippine ICT and ITES providers, contractors, and support industries.”

Senior IT and ITES executives from Asia, the U.S., and Europe are expected to participate as delegates in the conference. Invited resource speakers from some of the world’s most respected ICT and ITES organizations include senior NASSCOM and Gartner executives. Plenary and panel discussion topics include global IT and ITES trends and strategic issues, opportunities and threats for Asia’s emerging IT and ITES industry, next generation networks and their impact on the IT and ITES industry, and the role of venture financing in IT and ITES hub development.

Confirmed speakers and panelists include Laurence Chan, Emerson Network Power (Philippines), Inc. vice president; Ernest Cu, SPI Technologies president; Seow Nguan, Singapore Telecom director for Network Planning; Paco Sandejas, Narra Venture Capital managing partner; Stan Combs, Lexmark Research & Development president and CEO; Ilene Kaminsky, Epixtar president; and Frank Holz, Outsource2Philippines CEO.

Business matching sessions will also be held to facilitate networking among participants and assist buyers in identifying vendors that meet their specific business requirements.

The Philippine government will be represented by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Senator Manuel A. Roxas, Department of Trade and Industry secretary Juan B. Santos, Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) chairman Virgilio Peña, CICT commissioner Dondi Mapa, and FIT-ED director for strategic planning Luli Arroyo, Cebu governor Gwen Garcia, and Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña.

For more information on Cebu ICT 2005, please visit www.cebuict2005.com