For Immediate release
Contact: Fatima Lasay (fats@korakora.org)

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Advocates laud CICT chairperson on open source projects, remarks

In a letter issued July 2, members of a nation-wide network of open source advocates welcomed the remarks of the chairman of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) during an open source summit in Cebu last week.

CICT chairperson Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III said in a keynote speech at the opening of the first Philippine Open Source Summit that there is "a need to bring OSS (open source software) to the awareness of users as a legitimate option and to provide the required support for its implementation."

Members of "Bagong Ugnayan para sa Kalayaan/Kabukasan ng Sambayanan" or BUKAS, expressed their appreciation and support for the CICT chairperson's call, citing exemplary open source-based projects being led by the CICT such as the "e-Governance in Local Government Units" (or eLGU Project) that use software applications developed using open source, the education projects "iSchools" and "eSkwela" that use open source software, and the new "Nettop ng Bayan," a low-cost Internet-centric PC package breaking the PhP10,000 barrier, complete with open source software.

Convened by Alan G. Alegre, executive director of the Foundation for Media Alternatives, BUKAS consists of about 17 organizations -- users groups, academic and research institutions, NGOs -- involved in technology use and ICT policy, some of whom have engaged the CICT since the Commission's creation in 2004. Alegre expressed the network's willingness to support joint capacity-building efforts with the CICT for free and open source software (FOSS) adoption.

BUKAS's letter to the CICT chairperson also re-affirmed the network's commitment to engage with the CICT. Dr. Alvin B. Marcelo, Director for Southeast Asia of the International Open Source Network (IOSN) and an active member of BUKAS, stated that recommended actions such as an annual government conference on FOSS (OSGov) will further support and implementation for open source activities.

While open source is often seen as either a cost-effective solution to ICT needs or legitimate alternative to software piracy, BUKAS envisions a broader reason for its advocacy.

For one, open source stimulates quality education and research because software-making becomes more accessible to people and disciplines often only considered as consumers of software. Also, open source has the potential for strengthening the local IT industry as it spawns new business models developed in response to open source as social and technological capital.

BUKAS members include the University of the Philippines Manila - National Telehealth Center, Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA), Open Minds Philippines, Isis International, Philippine Network Foundation (PHNet), Philippine Linux Users Group (PLUG), Bicol Open Source Society (BOSS), Oriental Negros Linux Users Group (OneLUG), DabaweGNU, Inc, WomensHub, PEACE Foundation, Korakora.org, Lawnormscode, Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD), Advanced Science Foundation (ASF) and the Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI).

BUKAS Letter to CICT Chairperson Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III

To: Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III
Chairperson, Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT)
CICT-NCC Bldg., C.P. Garcia Avenue, 1101 Diliman Quezon City, Philippines

We, the undersigned member organizations of the "Bagong Ugnayan para sa Kalayaan/Kabukasan ng Sambayanan" or BUKAS, a national network of advocates of freedom and openness in Philippine society particularly in matters of governance and technology, express our appreciation and support for Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) chairperson Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III on his call at the recently concluded Philippine Open Source Summit in Cebu to promote and support free and open source software (FOSS).

We likewise laud the exemplary programs being undertaken by the CICT under its e-Governance in Local Government Units (or eLGU Project) that use software applications developed using open source, its education projects such as iSchools and eSkwela that use open source software, and it's new Nettop ng Bayan, a low-cost PC package breaking the PhP10,000 barrier, complete with open source software.

With the CICT leading the rollout of FOSS-based projects, we clearly see the value of a public institution in increasing efficiency in public service, stimulating quality education and research as software making becomes more accessible to people, organizations and disciplines often only considered as consumers of software, and in the strengthening of the local IT industry as new business models and markets are developed in response to open source as social and technological capital.

We also envision stronger engagement with the CICT. May we particularly recommend FOSS activities such as an annual government conference on FOSS (OSGov) and joint capacity-building efforts for FOSS adoption which we will support as part of our advocacies.

In view of the CICT's commitment to FOSS-enabled initiatives in the furtherance of public interest, since its creation and towards its transformation into a full-pledged department, we in BUKAS, as advocates of FOSS and the adoption of Open Standards and government inter-operability frameworks, extend our continued support and engagement with the CICT.

Signed,

Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA)
University of the Philippines Manila - National Telehealth Center
International Open Source Network ASEAN+3 (IOSN ASEAN+3)
Korakora.org
Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA)
Open Minds Philippines
Isis International
Philippine Network Foundation (PHNet)
Philippine Linux Users Group (PLUG)
Bicol Open Source Society (BOSS)
Oriental Negros Linux Users Group (OneLUG)
DabaweGNU, Inc.
Atty. Bong Dizon, Lawnormscode
Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD)
WomensHub
Advanced Science Foundation (ASF)
PEACE Foundation
Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI)

July 2, 2008

Bagong Ugnayan para sa Kalayaan/Kabukasan sa Sambayanan (BUKAS) is a national network of advocates of freedom and "openness" in Philippine society, particularly in matters of governance and technology. It is a primary advocate of the use of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), and the adoption of Open Standards and government inter-operability. It also supports Open Content models, such as alternative licenses (i.e., Creative Commons and GPL) and protecting and expanding the public domain of knowledge. It is composed of about 17 organizations--Linux Users Groups, academic and research institutions, NGOs, involved in technology use and ICT policy.