Computer Professionals’ Union’s (CPU) Ricardo Bahague Jr. encouraged students and other sectors to support Free and Open Source Softwares (FOSS) during a forum the Information Technology Society conducted Tuesday at the University of the Cordilleras (UC).
BY MIRIAM GUILLERMO, MARIA SHIELA MAE BARRUGA, BEVERLY KAY NANILEN B. PAMBID
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat
Vol. VII, No. 10, April 13-19,2008
BAGUIO CITY (246 kms. North of Manila) – Computer Professionals’ Union’s (CPU) Ricardo Bahague Jr. encouraged students and other sectors to support Free and Open Source Softwares (FOSS) during a forum the Information Technology Society conducted Tuesday at the University of the Cordilleras (UC).
Bahague, an expert on FOSS, enlightened the students with an overview of Free and Open Source Softwares in the hope of sustaining their interest and knowledge on computer superhighways. He also discussed the National Broadband Network, which became controversial because of the government’s foiled NBN-ZTE deal.
According to Bahague, the NBN-ZTE deal could be beneficial but the purpose fails to deliver its service to the people. The NBN project furthermore draws attention to the prevailing lack of national ICT infrastructures and a public utility service in the Philippines.
Some 120 participants from different UC colleges and other interested individuals attended the said three- hour forum. The forum also included a training in application of the ICT issues on April 9 using 80 computers made available by the university.
Bahague also encouraged the participants to join the Computer Professionals’ Union for advancing their specific needs such as attending free training and involvement in different projects.
“Not only to students, we also encourage the faculty to have knowledge on computers,” he added.
Jackielyn Nacar, the Information Technology Society secretary, said a similar forum would be conducted in other universities and organizations.
“We are hoping that the participants will be open-minded in accepting these new information which were tackled during the forum. We are so much overwhelmed and happy that this project turned out successful,” Nacar told Nordis.
The CPU aims to promote Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the people. It also aims to introduce and propagate the spirit of the FOSS community to college and university students. NORDIS/posted by (Bulatlat.com)
