by admin | Jan 30, 2016 | National News, Tech Talk
IdeaSpace Foundation (IdeaSpace), the leading early-stage technology incubator and accelerator in the Philippines, announced the opening of its annual startup competition for 2016, which will begin accepting early-stage startup ideas beginning January 21.
Now on its fourth year, the IdeaSpace startup competition will also have a new structure which will focus on providing equity-free funding and support to competition winners so founders can pursue their innovative ideas.
“Ever since IdeaSpace was founded, we have declared our belief that Filipino entrepreneurs can turn their innovative startup ideas into reality and make it big on the world stage as long as there is an ecosystem to support them,” said Diane Eustaquio, Executive Director at IdeaSpace.
“With this new equity-free funding structure, IdeaSpace strengthens its commitment to the local startup ecosystem to bring out the most socially relevant innovations that can help solve pressing problems of the world, particularly in emerging economies such as the Philippines,” she added.
Ideas from across the country, region
Interested groups and individuals can now log on to apply.ideaspacefoundation.org to fill up the form and submit their startup ideas for evaluation until March 18, 2016. Submissions from around the Philippines, as well as in the Southeast Asian region, are welcome.
The top twenty ideas from this pool will be screened by an esteemed panel of judges, and the top 20 early-stage startups that will enter incubation will be announced by July 5, 2016. At least ten of these startups, meanwhile, will enter the acceleration phase beginning August 1, 2016.
Those who enter the acceleration phase will have access to up to P1 million funding which will include up to P500,000 in cash, while non-cash benefits such as housing, transportation, incorporation, office space, communication, software support, trainings and classes, as well as mentoring from executives of companies under First Pacific.
New structure
Unlike previous years, IdeaSpace will no longer have an equity in each of the startups that will undergo its incubation and acceleration process.
Eustaquio said this will allow startup founders and IdeaSpace to collaborate and focus fully on bringing these early-stage ideas to reality, and to ensure that each idea has a clear and achievable runway toward commercial viability.
As one of the formidable technology incubators and accelerators in the country, IdeaSpace has helped give birth to about 38 startups over the last four years as part of its half a billion-peso funding that was instituted in 2012.
Some of the program’s most notable alumni include: SALt, a startup that has developed an innovative saltwater lamp and was featured during the recent APEC Summit 2015 in Manila; PinoyTravel, a startup which helps solve provincial bus reservation woes of commuters; Mobkard, which helps consumers save on purchases through discounts and promos; and Tactiles, which developed an educational toy that helps children learn electronics while playing, among many others.
IdeaSpace is supported by the following companies: First Pacific, First Pacific Leadership Academy, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, MPIC hospital group, PLDT, Meralco, Smart Communications, Inc., Digitel Mobile Philippines and its mobile brand Sun Cellular, SPI Global, ePLDT, Indofood, Philex Mining, Maynilad, MediaQuest, and TV5. To know more about IdeaSpace, visit www.ideaspacefoundation.org.
by admin | Jan 29, 2016 | National News
A new handbook has just been published to help SMEs proactively prepare for risk and protect their business.
ISO 31000 – Risk management – A practical guide for SMEs gives hands-on guidance on how to make the most of ISO 31000:2009, the International Standard on risk management processes, and integrate good practices in both their strategic decisions and their day-to-day operations.
Whilst most SMEs manage risk to a large extent, a number of SME leaders don’t consider implementing formal risk management processes, believing they aren’t big enough to warrant a proper risk management system or because they feel they are too busy running the company,” says John Lark, the author of the handbook.
“However,” he comments, “there is significant opportunity for SMEs that do engage in a more structured risk management practice. SMEs that do implement risk management in a way that is aligned with the principles and processes found in ISO 31000 can become more successful and be in a position to evolve into big companies.”
“Effective risk management is no longer something that only big business can have. This guide has been written for the leaders in small organizations, people whose commitment and energy have created the enterprise and who, by implementing risk management effectively, can help their business to survive and grow.”
ISO 31000:2009, by providing comprehensive principles and guidelines, can help all organizations put in place strong processes to identify opportunities and threats and effectively manage, leverage and adapt to risk.
ISO 31000 – Risk management – A practical guide for SMEs has been designed to complement this standard. It is structured as a checklist with a series of questions and related actions that guide users through the creation of a successful risk management system.
“The guide is a clear, simply worded explanation of how to implement risk management effectively,” explains Lark. “The question-and-answer format, as well as a comprehensive table of contents, allows readers to jump immediately to a subject or aspect of risk management that is of interest to them, or which is proving to be difficult.”
Published jointly by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the ITC (International Trade Centre) and UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), this handbook has been designed to help SMEs better understand and manage risk and ultimately strengthen their small businesses, which represent the vast majority of enterprises around the world.
Arancha González, Executive Director of ITC, Li Yong, Director General of UNIDO, and Acting ISO Secretary-General Kevin McKinley have indicated that they hope this guide will serve as a practical and beneficial resource for SMEs in their efforts to improve their competitiveness and increase their participation in international trade through better recognizing and managing risk.
The handbook can be purchased from any national ISO member and through the ISO Store.
The Philippines is a member to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) through the Department of Trade and Industry’s Bureau of Philippine Standards as the country’s National Standards Body.
For more information on the ISO, visit http://www.iso.org/ For more information on the services of the DTI, log-on to http://www.dti.gov.ph
by admin | Jan 28, 2016 | Headlines, Major Events, National News
MANILA, Jan. 28 (PIA)–Giseguro sa pamunuan sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) nga ampingan nila ang source code alang sa piniliay sa Mayo 9, 2016 human kini gi-deposito sa Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Matud pa ni Deputy Governor Vicente Aquino, ilang ampingan ang source code alang sa kahapsay ug kredibilidad sa eleksyon ug ang Comelec lamang ang maka-abri niini gikan sa safety vault.
Giingong gawas sa mga padlock, hugot usab ang pagbantay sa lawak nga gibutangan niini hangtud sa panahon sa eleksiyon.
Matud pa nga mahimong kuhaon sa Comelec ang maong source code kun may ipahigayong review ug imbestigasyon. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
by admin | Jan 27, 2016 | Headlines, Major Events, National News
MANILA, Jan. 27 (PIA)–Nakaalerto na ang Department of Health (DOH) aron pugngan ang pagsulod sa nasud sa zika virus nga mikatap karon sa Latin Amerika.
Matud pa ni Dr. Lyndon Le Suy, tigpamaba sa DOH nga mokatap ang maong sakit pinaagi sa pinaakan sa lamok ug ang sintomas sa virus mao ang hilanat, trangkaso ug rashes.
Susamang lamok ra kini nga nagdala usab sa dengue ug chikungunya virus apan grabeng maapektuhan niini ang mga nagsabak.
Kini ang hinungdan mao nga susamang sistema ra usab aron makontrol ang dengue ug chikungunya ang ilang gamiton aron mapugngan ang zika virus sama sa pagpabilin sa kahinlo ug pagpanglimpyo sa palibot.
Niadtong tuig 2012, nakatala ang DOH og usa ka kaso sa zika virus sa nasud apan wala na kini nadugangi sukad kaniadto.
Giingong ang naapektuhang buntis sa zika virus nihimugso og puya nga mas gamay ang ulo sa normal nga bata.
Wala pay bakunang nadiskubre alang sa maong sakit. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
by admin | Jan 27, 2016 | Headlines, Major Events, National News
MANILA, Jan. 27 (PIA)–Nangandam na ang Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) sa posibleng epekto sa mga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) sa pagsadsad sa presyo sa lana sa Tunga-tungang Sidlakan.
Human kini sa pagkumpirmar sa Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI) nga nagsugod na og panaktak og kawani ang pipila ka kumpanya didto human sa paghinay sa ekonomiya sa Saudi Arabia ug Qatar.
Matud pa ni DOLE Kalihim Rosalinda Baldoz, nakig-alayon na sila sa nagkalain-laing grupo aron mahibaw-an ang kahimtang sa mga OFW ug matino kun unsa ang mahimong itabang kanila human mihinay ang ekonomiya sa mga nasud nga producer og lana.
Giingong andam ang gobyerno nga tabangan ang mga OFWs alang sa ilang repatriation kun mataktak sa trabaho ug hatagan og bag-ong trabaho dinhi sa Pilipinas depende sa job opportunity sa ilang lugar.
Gawas sa pagsadsad sa presyo sa petrolyo, gidunganan pa kini sa paghinay sa ekonomiya sa China, pagbaton og kaugalingong supply sa lana sa Estados Unidos ug pagtangtang sa export ban sa Iran mao nga sobra na karon ang supply sa lana didto.
Gibanabanang kapin sa 1 ka milyon ang mga trabahanteng Pinoy ang nagtrabaho sa Tunga-tungang Sidlakan. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
by admin | Jan 20, 2016 | Headlines, Major Events, National News
MANILA, Jan. 20 (PIA)–Pasado na sa senado ang Customs Modernization and Tariff Act o CMTA nga maglibre sa taripa sa mga pasalubong nga cargo o sa mga Balikbayan Box nga ginapadala sa mga overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) ug nagkantidad lamang og dili molapas sa P150,000. ang sulod.
Ang maong balaodnon nagsaka sa ceiling sa kantidad sa Balikbayan Box nga libre sa taripa gikan sa kanhi P10,000.
Matud pa ni Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, ang pagpasar sa CMTA nga gitawag niyang Balikbayan Box Law o BBL maghatag og pribilehiyo sa mga OFWs nga mag-ule o magpadala sa Pilipinas og mga butang nga ilang gihaguan nga dili buhisan.
Sa Section 800 sa maong balaodnon, nakalatid nga mahimong magpadala og duha ka boxes ang usa ka OFW nga iphon isip usa ka shipment lamang kun dili molapas ang kantidad niini sa P150,000.
Gipasabot ni Recto nga ang maong pribilehiyo mahimo lamang gamiton katulo sulod sa usa ka tuig sa mga OFWs.
Kinahanglan usab nga ang sulod sa mga Balikbayan Boxes mga personal ug gamit sa panimalay lamang ug dili angay dinaghan nga mahimong gamitong pang-negosyo.
Kung hingpit na kining mahimong balaod, mahimong libre na usab sa buhis ang mga donasyon ug mga relief goods kun adunay kalamidad.
Malikayan na usab ang “human intervention” o pagpang-abri sa mga Balikbayan Boxes tungod kay himuon nang electronic ang pamaagi sa Customs ug isaka ang silot sa mga magtinguhang gamiton ang mga Balikbaybayan Boxes sa smuggling. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
