Saying it serves as a protection for the work of Filipino software developers, the Business Software Alliance (BSA) recently launched an educational campaign aimed at encouraging the adoption of proper software asset management (SAM) among local firms.
Dubbed as "Follow SAM", the program is a call for companies to adopt a model software asset management practice to maximize their IT resources and avoid the use of unlicensed software, said Ronald Chua, chair of the BSA Philippines Committee.
The campaign’s launch was attended by officials from the Department of Trade & Industry, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and the Commission on Information and Communications Technology.
BSA officials explained that SAM is a set of policies or procedures within an organization that helps the company to take full advantage of all its software programs. It involves assessment and audit of software used, setting aside a budget for software procurement and issuing a company policy on the use of software.
A model SAM practice will lead to the maximization of IT resources, and the prevention of the use of illegal software, the BSA executives added.
"We are extremely pleased that a good number of industry associations have stepped up to express their support for the widescale protection of intellectual property rights and the use licensed software," said Chua in a statement.
The industry associations and government agencies also signed a manifesto expressing their commitment to the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), and to urge their members to adopt a model SAM practice in their business. Representatives of government agencies that have endorsed the campaign have also signed as witnesses to the manifesto.
As part of the campaign, the BSA is scheduled to hold a series of seminars on SAM for the members of the partner associations in key cities including Makati City, Pasig City, Quezon City, Cebu City and in Clark economic zone.
In a message, DTI Secretary Peter Favila said: "This will also allow software developers to save time and money which they could use to create innovative new technology, rather than to use their resources in a frustrating task of protecting the software they have already developed." (Melvin G. Calimag)
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