Cheaper rates contribute to growth of RP Internet cafés

By Alexander Villafania - INQ7.net

The Internet café business in the Philippines continues to grow in previous years spurred by decreasing prices of broadband Internet and computer parts, as well as increasing demand for online and network gaming services.

A new report by the Philippine office of the International Data Corporation (IDC) also showed that Internet cafes are also finding niche markets catering to gaming, Internet use and sales centers for other value-added services such as telecommunications and printing.

The IDC report said most Internet cafes in the Philippines are still micro-sized businesses or those that only have a few available computers with single ownership and only one branch.

Most of the value-added services of these cafes are document printing, scanning, fax and copying.

Likewise, the report said that these pay-as-you go Internet cafes are still preferred by most users over owning home PCs especially as the cost of owning computers is still largely restrictive to most Filipinos.

IDC Philippines Research Manager Manuel Ravago said in a statement the next 12 months will see more Internet cafes concentrating heavily on maintaining or replacing present hardware setups. These Internet cafes will also continue to focus on online gaming nature and basic Internet.

The IDC also reported that 49 percent of all Internet cafes surveyed were not changing their IT expenditures. Another 39 percent said there would be an increase in maintenance or replacement cost while 10 percent said there would be no change.

Ravago also added that Internet cafes in the rural areas should be taken into perspective to be able to secure key business prospects.

"The decelerating broadband costs, growing uptake of online gaming, and declining hardware prices have all served as catalysts for growth in information and communication technology spending from the Internet café industry. In order to capture that potential business opportunity from the sector, the nature and preferences of the Internet cafes must be considered at all times when addressing this particular market", Ravago said.

IDC also forecasts the arrival of new value added services from both entrepreneurs, the access providers and the hardware providers as the Internet café becomes a feasible business to address requirements of new markets.

Likewise, stiffer competition from other Internet cafes will also prompt owners to improve their services.

Internet café pricing a key issue, says study

PRICING remains a key issue in expanding the Internet café market to the countryside and investors must collaborate with other service providers to secure key business prospects, according to a recent study.

“The decelerating broadband costs, growing uptake of online gaming and declining hardware prices have all served as catalysts for growth in information and communication technology [ICT] spending from the Internet café industry. In order to capture that potential business opportunity from the sector, the nature and preferences of the Internet café must be considered at all times when addressing this particular market,” said Manuel J. Ravago, the research manager of Infocom Data & Consulting (Philippines) Inc. (IDC).

Based on the survey results, Internet cafés in the Philippines are generally microsized single-proprietor businesses with only one branch. Online gaming, Internet surfing and printing/scanning/facsimile/copying are the top three service offerings of most Internet cafés.

“From the economic standpoint, the cost of owning a personal computer [PC] is still restrictive for a large segment of the country, not to mention the additional cost of Internet access. With this, smaller cash expenditures on a pay-only-as-you-use basis are a good alternative, making Internet cafés widely accepted in the country,” the study said.

It indicated that the Internet café industry in the Philippines is a rapidly growing niche and evolving market, and from being mere local area network shops, Internet cafés are seen to become an important avenue for growth, as the industry transforms into a complete business center.

The IDC study also found that the biggest ICT budget allocation is spent on hardware, with particular focus on PCs, servers and networking products.

The research firm predicts that in the next 12 months, Internet cafés will concentrate heavily on replacement and/or maintenance of the present ICT setup.

It said the heightened attention of the Internet café space as a feasible and potential-rich addressable market will usher in a slew of product and service offerings from the growing number of providers, including hardware, Internet access providers and online gaming service providers.

“This fast-growing industry will continue to evolve in the near term, as competition within the Internet café ecosystem increases and the added attention from the technology vendors infuses a greater variety of hardware and services into the playing field,” the study said.

IDC, a premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services for the information technology and telecommunications industries, has over 775 analysts in 50 countries that provide global, regional and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities.
--Angelo S. Samonte, Manila Times

EDITORYAL — Bata sa Pinas pinagkakaperahan sa cybersex

Ang Pilipino STAR Ngayon

NOONG 2002 pa nabalita na ang Pilipinas ang pangunahing distributor ng mga sexually explicit pictures ng mga batang babae at lalaki sa internet. At sa maniwala at sa hindi, hanggang ngayon nangunguna pa rin ang Pilipinas sa ganitong papel. Maraming bata na naghuhubad sa web cam, bumubukaka, naghuhubad ng panty at kung anu-anong pang mahahalay na posisyon. May nakikipagsex sa kapwa bata at meron din sa matanda. Ganito na katindi.

Maiimagine na 2002 pa lumobo ang child pornography at hanggang ngayon wala pang mabigat na batas na magpaparusa sa mga negosyante ng "laman" sa cyberspace.

Malala na ang child pornography sa bansa at hindi masawata ang mga gumagawa nito. Ang matindi pa, pati mga sariling ina ang nagbebenta sa kanilang mga babaing anak para bumukaka sa harap ng web cam. Sa kahayukang kumita ng pera, pati anak na walang malay ay ibinibenta na ang laman.

Kagaya ng isang ina na ibinenta sa kanyang dayuhang boyfriend ang mga posing ng hubad niyang anak na babae at mga pamangkin. Kinasuhan lamang ng "Anti-Trafficking of Person’s Act" ang ina.

Inaresto ng mga pulis noong nakaraang Mayo si Jedeka Martinez makaraang ipagharap ng "Anti-Trafficking of Person’s Act" o ng Republic Act 9208.

Ayon sa report, pinaghubad ni Martinez sa harap ng web camera ang kanyang anak na limang taong gulang habang pinanonood ng New Zealander niyang boyfriend. Iba’t ibang posing umano ang pinagawa sa bata. Pagkatapos ng kanyang anak, ang mga pamangkin naman niya na ang edad ay walo at 14 ang kanyang pinaghubad sa harap ng web cam at binayaran niya ng P200. Sa imbestigasyon ng pulisya, lumitaw na pinuwersa ni Martinez ang mga biktima para maghubad sa harap ng web cam.

Ang pangyayaring iyan ay isa lamang sa malalang child pornography na nagaganap sa bansa. May mga pidophiles pang malalakas ang loob na sila mismo ang nagtutungo rito sa bansa at kumukuha ng mga bata at kinukunan ng video.

Kawawa ang mga batang ginagamit na ang katawan para pagkaperahan. At kung hindi makagagawa ng mabigat na batas laban sa mga nag-ooperate ng cybersex na ang mga bata ang ginagamit, marami pang masisira ang buhay. Kakahiyang ang Pilipinas ay pugad ng mga "batang puta".