The Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) plots a more aggressive International Marketing plan this year.

PSIA's global domination plan kicked-off at the 9th e-Services Global Outsourcing Conference and Exhibition being the largest association to sign-up at the much-awaited IT event of 2009.

"PSIA is keen on making the e-Services a showcase of the exciting growth of the Philippine software sector. It links up the country’s best and brightest players in IT and Outsourcing with some of our biggest export markets,” says PSIA President Ma. Cristina “Beng” Coronel.

Despite the current economic slowdown, PSIA is confident that the Philippine software outsourcing industry will continue to thrive. Its unified presence at the 9th e-Services is a clear demonstration of this confidence. Gartner research cites that the outsourcing industry in its entirety is not immune to the ripple effects of the widespread economic volatility, yet in this economic downturn, cost will trump value considerations.

"Outsourcing will be adopted by more organizations to help them work through financial and competitive challenges," says Allie Young, VP and distinguished analyst at Gartner. "The well-educated buyer and provider will have the advantage. The potential for outsourcing to address immediate cost pressures as well as long-term recovery goals will be unprecedented. However, only organizations that are diligent about understanding and avoiding the pitfalls of cost-focused outsourcing and that apply business-outcome-focused outsourcing will be successful."

According to PSIA's Director of International Marketing, Winston Damarillo, “The Philippines has an abundance of great engineering talent for software development. It is important that we are able to communicate this to the global markets. The 9th e-Services kicks off this plan for aggressive marketing for PSIA throughout 2009."

PSIA gears up for a big year as it aims to give itself the distinct image and global marketing presence to be the world’s best pick in software outsourcing. It recognized its need to create for PSIA a clear-cut image to jolt the marketing conventions of selling Philippine software companies to the world.

Since 1988, PSIA has been working with the government, academe private sector, and other concerned stakeholders to further the objectives of its 140-strong membership in line with its goal to make the Philippines competitive in the software development services market worldwide.

"PSIA recognizes the tough competition that the global outsourcing market faces this year, so we are bent on showing the world that Filipino talents and software prodigies are more than providing serious competitive business. We are also about fun and creative partnerships," says Salonga, who is also the overall PSIA head for the e-Services.

Determined to live up to this new image, PSIA partnered with Red Desk, a dynamic new marketing firm for this year's e-Services. Apart from PSIA's thematic handles with ideas that signify "fun, creative partnerships" through a more lifestyle approach to the serious business of IT outsourcing, its exhibit featured taking a shot or two at the PSIA Shooters Bar to celebrate the future of the software world… with the Philippines at the forefront.

Now on its ninth year, the e-Services is organized by the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).