Manila Bulletin / Infotech B-14
August 31, 2007

IP-Converge Data Center, Inc. (IPC), the Information Technology and Telecommunications (IT&T) division of listed company IPVG Corp. (PSE: IPVG), was recently tapped by B2B electronic commerce solutions and networking facilities provider InterCommerce Network Services, Inc. to help provide server co-location services and Global Internet Access (GIA) to support its e-Customs project with the country’s Bureau of Customs (BoC).

InterCommerce’s eCustoms systems are currently hosted at IP-Converge’s telco-grade, telco-neutral Internet Data Center (IDC). The facility provides a secure, highly reliable and robust networ! k infrastructure to ensure high availability of InterCommerce’s services that were especially developed for the BoC.

InterCommerce recently earned accreditation from BoC as its first Value Added Service Provider (VASP), for Phase 1 of the BoC project that covers the system for lodgment of import declarations for consumption and warehousing.

According to InterCommerce President, Mr. Francis Lopez, "IP-Converge’s services are critical to the company, and our ongoing project with the BoC, especially since Customs requires 99.95% availability of our online service. We can serve our clients well only if our IDC provides us with the same support level we give to them."

Providing an entire suite of managed data services that include Internet data center and connectivity solutions, IPC enables IT companies with critical commitments like InterCommerce to provide their own specialized services for their respective target markets.

"The objective of the BoC project is to eliminate manual entry lodgment, which provides venue for corruption," explains Lopez. "With IPC services on board, there are no hassles in connecting to application servers, providing a fast exchange of electronic messages with BoC and remote printing of documents. In fact, an average cycle time is now less than two minutes!" He also said that automation makes the Customs clearance process transparent, thus improving collection of government revenues such as Customs duties and taxes.

InterCommerce, in cooperation with IPC, recently launched their e-Customs VASP Services at the Heritage Hotel with representatives from various import/export companies, brokerages and forwarders in attendance. The event was graced by BoC Deputy Commissioner for MISTG and Chairman of the BoCVASP Accreditation Committee (VAC), Mr. Alexander Arevalo who talked about how technological advancements such as InterCommerce’s e-Customs portal aim to help these companies make easier, faster transactions with the BoC.

By Riza Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer / B8
August 25, 2007 Saturday

MANILA, Philippines -- Information and communications company IPVG Corp. is targeting digital advertising, citing research that Internet advertising revenue worldwide amounted to nearly $17 billion last year.

"Undeniably, the Internet is the biggest marketplace there is. Today, there are more than a billion Internet users. The bulk of the "cyber-population" is in Asia," IPVG said in a statement.
 
"Currently, advertisers in the Philippines are focused on tri-media as their primary medium due to reach and frequency of use, it`s their comfort zone. But if we can show how powerful and effective in-game advertising is -- that it can actually translate to product sales and better brand recall -- then we will see a wide adoption of this new advertising medium."
 
Piper Jaffray & Co.`s Internet media and marketing research team released a report in February this year that global online advertising revenue was expected to reach $81.1 billion in 2011.
 
IPVG said its online gaming arm, IP e-Games, has seen this potential and was allotting its time and effort to increase awareness among advertisers.
 
IPVG chief executive Enrique Gonzalez said in an interview that IPVG expected digital advertising to account for as much as 20 percent of online gaming revenues two years from now.
 
Gonzalez said IP e-Games has piloted ad campaigns for telecommunications and technology companies in popular flagship game, RAN Online, and expects to attract more campaigns over the next few months.

By: Edison Ong
Manila Bulletin / Infotech, B12
August 24, 2007

From Portugal to the Philippines, Altitude Software has come a long way to do business.

"We are very excited about the introduction of Altitude to the Asia Pacific market, especially in the Philippines," said Shlomo Harari, president, Altitude Software Asia Pacific.

He added, "Our strategy is to grow our partnerships regionally, and IP-Converge Data Center, Inc. is the key to this success. Our investments in Asia Pacific focus on off-shoring countries, namely the Philippines and India."

Harari recently met the local IT press to presents its credential and to announce his company’s strategic partnership with IP-Converge, the information technology and telecommunications division of Philippine-listed company IPVG Corporation (IPC).

"It is a strong added value for us to work with a strong service provider. IP Converge is the only service provider working with us as a partner. Other partners are resellers, such as Avaya resellers," he said.

In a press release, IPC President Rene Huergas remarked that the partnership with Altitude is an important aspect in IPC’s go-to-market strategy, and augurs well with its full-scale of best-of-breed products and services to meet the unique needs of its customers.

Through its partnership with global contact center solution provider Altitude, IP-Converge Data Center reinforces its Voice Over Internet Protocol Services, V.O.I.C.E.S or Voice Over Internet Call Exchange Suite. V.O.I.C.E.S. offers three primary services: Wholesale VOIP termination services, hosted IPPBX service, and contact center solutions.

Huergas said, "The benefits we offer are in our capability to provide our customers with end-to-end solutions, including dedicated Internet access and voice termination, allowing our customers to take full advantage of our highly robust network infrastructure and range of ‘boutique’ managed data services to meet specific customer needs. Our customers’ options have become practically limitless."

For his part, Gary Gonzales, country manager, Altitude Software Philippines, stated "Altitude enters the Philippine market at the right time when the emergence of IP infrastructure is truly becoming not only an enabler of systems but rather, a business process tool that contributes significantly to the bottom-line of every contact center and BPO."

The Philippine sales office of Altitude Software opened in shop in September 2006. Through its alliance with IP-Converge, its local staff of engineers is expected to increasing correspondingly.

Altitude Software is a privately-owned, independent company with venture capital and institutional investors such as FIEP (a special Portuguese government fund to support the internationalization of companies), Fogeca the venture capital arm of Grupo Salvador Caetano, PME Capital (Portuguese venture capital fund), and Grupo Totta (Portuguese branch of Banco Santander Central Hispano).

Harari commented, "We will see more and more contact centers moving into the all-IP solution, giving us an excellent opportunity to address the market together with IP-Converge."

Early this year, IPC tapped Salesforce.com, a market and technology leader in on-demand business services, to pin down high-growth markets that are in need of on-demand customer relations management applications.

Said Huergas, "We have completed our first phase of our business growth plans with our partners — each comprising full-suite of our boutique products and service offerings."

Available as a premise-based solution, Altitude UCI or Unified Customer Interaction is offered by IPC as a hosted solution located in its telco-grade, telco-neutral Internet Data Center at RCBC Plaza in Makati City.

The hosted or application service provider model is ideal for start-up contact centers or in customer service departments of small and medium-sized enterprises and multinational corporations. The system can be implement at minimum equipment investment, if any, and at the least operating cost. The premise-based version is a modular solution that provides the advantage of seamless interface with an existing or legacy application installed in a client environment.

By: Joel Pinaroc
Manila Bulletin / Infotech B4
August 20, 2007

Sabiclub Corp., a South Korean-owned technology company, has partnered with listed technology company IPVG in a massive cyber café rollout in the Philippines.

"As strategic partner of Sabiclub, we will work closely together on a number of fronts. Sabiclub is a channel into the Internet café business and Korean market," IPVG CEO Enrique Y. Gonzalez in a statement said.
 
Sabiclub president and founder Don Hung Lee, said his company is looking at establishing 100 Internet cafés in the Philippines to cater to local and foreign customers.
 
The company is planning to put up the cyber cafés through a massive franchising drive, Lee, said.
 
The technology firm, which also has business interests in systems integration and web development, will partner with IPVG for the Internet café rollout, Lee said.

The executive however remained mum on the financial arrangement his company and IPVG made, regarding the rollout.
 
IPVG also did not disclose other details of the deal. The company has various interests, including gaming, data center, and business outsourcing.
 
According to Lee, Sabiclub will put two Internet café brands, including i-Hooked and Station 168, catering to students, and foreign customers, respectively.
 
Sabiclub has currently two i-Hooked branches and several Station 168 centers.
Lee said Sabiclub will put the i-Hooked cafés around schools, while the Station 168 will be strategically located in and around communities with a high concentration of foreigners, particularly South Koreans.
 
Lee said Sabiclub is eyeing to "sell" the two franchises for 5 million pesos to 10 million pesos depending on the location and size of the Internet café.
 
The cash generated from this franchise sale will fund the bulk of the expansion drive, Lee said.
 
Currently, Sabiclub has recently opened two i-Hooked branches and several Station 168 centers.
 
Lee said Sabiclub is aiming to put up about 20 more cyber cafés in the "coming months."

The executive said Sabiclub may also acquire existing cyber cafés and turn them into i-Hooked branches that will be designed after South Korea’s "PC bang," a stylized Internet café popular in the country.
 
"Bang," means room in Korean, Lee said, adding that hew i-Hooked and Station 168 cafés will have spacious lounges, and top-of-the-line terminals, among others.

By: Cris-Ann G. Ordonia
The Manila Times – Tech Times B4
August 20, 2007

Global contact center solutions provider, Altitude Software, strengthened its Voice over Internet Protocol or VOIP services locally with its newest telecommunication product called V.O.I.C.E.S., this in partnership with IP-Converge Data Center, Inc. (IPC), an information technology and telecommunications company owned by IPVG Corp. (PSE: IPVG).

VOIP termination services, hosted IP-PBX service and contact center solutions by Altitude are the three primary services that V.O.I.C.E.S. or Voice Over Internet Call Exchange Suite has to offer.

“We provide top-of-the-line end to end communication. We allow our customers to take full advantage of our robust network infrastructure and quality number of services,” said Niño Valmonte, IPC’s marketing manager. 

Altitude Software offers a unified suite of hosted and premise-based solutions called the Altitude uCI or Unified Customer Interaction, which will also be offered by IPC. uCI is a cost-effective application suite that allows the contact center to improve overall productivity by helping users achieve return of investments in limited time and provides solution to customer interaction and organizational strategies. A hosted or ASP (application service provider) model ideal for start-up contact centers or small and medium business/companies.

Altitude Software Asia Pacific President Shlomo Harari said V.O.I.C.E.S. service (including its Altitude uCI solution) has a flexibility to work with any database platforms such as Oracle, Informix software and Microsoft SQL service; it can operate in any operating systems such as Linux and Microsoft Windows; and with an array of TDM switches.

Harari explained that it is their first time to have a service provider partner and with an IT integration capability.

“I am very happy that we have now a new partner here in the Philippines, IP-Converge; and I trust that we are going to generate very good business,” said Harari.

By: James Loyola
Manila Bulletin / Business B2
August 19, 2007

IP-Converge Data Center, Inc. (IPC), the information technology and telecommunications (IT&T) division of IPVG Corporation, forges a partnership with Altitude Software, a leading global contact center solutions provider.

The firm said the partnership will reinforce its VOIP services, V.O.I.C.E.S. or Voice Over Internet Call Exchange Suite which offers three primary services: VOIP termination services, Hosted IP-PBX service, and Contact Center Solutions by Altitude.

Altitude Software is the developer of a unified suite of contact center solutions that manages, measures, and improves contact center operations with each user interaction.

Available as a premise-based solution, Altitude uCI or Unified Customer Interaction is also offered by IPC as a hosted solution, located in its Telcograde, Telco-neutral Internet Data Center at RCBC Plaza, Makati City.

The hosted or ASP (application service provider) model is ideal for start-up contact centers or in customer service departments of SMEs and MNCs. The system can be implemented at minimum equipment investment, if any, and at the least operating cost.

The premise-based version is a modular solution that provides the advantage of seamless interface with an existing or legacy application installed in a client environment.

Altitude uCI is compatible with most of the leading contact center vendors and applications.

According to IPC President Rene Huergas, the partnership with Altitude Software is an important aspect in IPC’s go-to-market strategy, and augurs well with its full suite of best-of breed products and services to meet the unique needs of its customers.

By: M. F. M. Baja
BusinessWorld - Opinion S1/5
August 17, 2007

IP-Converge Data Center, Inc.’s (IPC), the Information Technology (IT) and telecommunications division of listed IPVG Corp., has entered into a partnership with contact solutions provider Altitude Software to strengthen its Voice Over Internet Call Exchange Suite (VOICES).

VOICES offers three primary services: voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) termination services, hosting services, and contact center solutions by Altitude.

"The entry of Altitude’s contact center solutions under our VOICES product line compliments our full suite of managed data services and IT solutions," said IPC president Rene Huergas.

IPC officials said the partnership is ideal at a time that the IP infrastructure is a growing system and a business tool that improves the income of contact centers and BPOs.

Altitude will be providing a contact center solutions bundle that manages, measures, and improves contact center operations with each use, called unified customer interaction.

Software developed by Altitude is compatible with different operating systems. "Instead of having competition, we have ’copetition,’" says Shlomo Harari, president of the Asia Pacific regional leg of Altitude.

The strategic partnership allows IPC to reach the market of competitors as well.

Mr. Harari said, "We’re very excited about the introduction of Altitude to the Asia Pacific market, especially in the Philippines. Our strategy is to grow our partnerships regionally, and IP-Converge is key to this success. Our investments in Asia Pacific focus on off-shoring countries, specifically the Philippines and India."

Portugal-based Altitude has offices in 15 countries, three of which are in the Asia Pacific Region. An office in Singapore is said to be opening at the end of the year.

IPVG has subsidiaries in IT and telecommunications, online gaming, and business process outsourcing. In the first half of the year, IPVG raised its revenue by 388% to P335.2 million from P68.7 million in the same period of 2006.

By: Veronica Silva-Cusi
BusinessWorld,  S3/9
August 17, 2007
 
 
Internet and mobile marketing are seen to remove the information clutter from traditional media. Visitors at the First Internet and Mobile Marketing Summit — Jonathan Cellona Marketers trying out this "whole new world of marketing" said in a conference last week that the individualized nature of the Internet and mobile gadgets such as mobile phones are more effective in some marketing campaigns.

In fact, speakers at the recently concluded First Internet and Mobile Marketing Summit last week were armed with statistics to prove that tapping the Internet and mobile tools is what some consumers prefer these days.

Mobile marketing, for instance, can reach as much as 50% of a campaign’s target audience, said Bong Mojica, division head for the Wireless Consumer Division of Smart Communications Inc.

He noted that the Philippines has an estimated 48 million mobile phone subscribers today sending more than one billion short message service (SMS) daily.
 
Furthermore, Smart’s own market research showed that 74% of Filipino consumers are ready to accept advertising through their mobile phones. For promotions requiring submissions of entries, 94% of respondents said they want to register via SMS against only 4% who said they prefer to join promos through the traditional drop box.

Ferdinand de la Cruz, head of the Consumer Business Group of Globe Telecom Inc. added that the logistics behind the traditional drop box method are so cumbersome and expensive compared to SMS or mobile phone promotions.

Matec Villanueva, chief executive officer (CEO) of Publicis Manila, said digital marketing "is probably better for ’special’ products and not [the] fast moving consumer goods."
 
She noted that compared to traditional media channels which have become cluttered, the digital medium may be geared towards special markets like mothers and housewives, and the young generation.

"Online phenomena" such as social networking, blogs and podcasts, and online gaming are just examples of how companies can tap the Internet for their marketing campaigns.

Michael Palacios, managing director of Havoc Digital and general manager of online community Pinoy Exchange, said social networking is a potent marketing tool with millions of page views globally.

Citing data from ComScore Media Metrics, Mr. Palacios said "social networks represent the single largest growth venue for online ad inventory."

Given that the growth in spent time in Friendster — a 74% year-on-year growth from May 2006 to 2007, according to ComScore — Mr. Palacios noted that "time spent on social networks equals time spent away from traditional media."

Companies such as Havoc Digital and Internet marketing company Yeheyoffer ads to social networks or Web sites to target the online market.

Enrique Y. Gonzalez, CEO of listed technology firm IPVG Corp. sees opportunities in online gaming through one of its subsidiaries, IP Interactive.

Given the $2.73-billion worldwide market for online gaming, among the opportunities IP Interactive is offering are strategic ad placements in the gaming scenes — such as a character wearing a branded T-shirt — and online shopping featuring products of the advertiser.

Ms. Villanueva noted that there are "no sure templates, no formula" when it comes to digital marketing. What is definite is that "the digital medium is here so [we should] embrace it."

By Erwin Oliva
Inquirer.net
August 16, 2007

MANILA, Philippines -- A software company engaged in the development of customer relations management solutions for call centers expects “double digit” growth in the Asia Pacific region, a local executive said.
 
Setting up operations in the Philippines only last year, Altitude Software executives said the company is expecting to grow its market share in terms of software licenses sold in the region.

"The Asia Pacific region is contributing roughly 5 percent to the overall licensing revenues of the company," said Gary Gonzales, country manager for the Philippines of Altitude Software. He declined to give further details.

Altitude Software, which operates its headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal, maintains operations in 15 countries including the Philippines and India. It has developed a suite of contact center solutions that is now used by offshore call center providers like Teletech and Sitel, according to Shlomo Harari, president of Altitude Software in Asia Pacific.

Gonzales said India and the Philippines are among the software company`s "key markets" due to the strong demand for CRM solutions from the business process outsourcing and call center industries.

The company announced on Wednesday a partnership with IP-Convergence Data Center Inc., a subsidiary of listed company IPVG Corp.

Gonzales said the partnership with IP-Convergence Data Center will enable the software company to attract more customers in the country.

IP-Convergence, which is now considered its tier-one partner, will provide the "engineering expertise," technical and marketing support for Altitude Software in the Philippines, the local executive said.

Altitude Software said it has 170,000 paid license users worldwide, most of them concentrated in Europe.

The company has developed software solutions that allow contact center agents to effectively deal with customers, its company profile said.

By Rory Visco
BusinessMirror/B1
August 15, 2007

Can online games be used as a tool for learning? A gaming firm believes it is going to happen soon. IP-egames vice president for marketing Eduardo Pasion said that this scenario is definitely not a far-fetched idea. He said the company is already in talks with the government, including the various schools and universities in the country, regarding such plan. “We’ve already talked to [government and schools]. We’re going to roll this out very soon in the country. We’re just waiting for the template,” Pasion said in an exclusive interview with Business Mirror during the 2nd Internet Café Congress at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

IP e-Games, a subsidiary of publicly listed IPVG Corp. was voted “Best Gaming Co.” during the event beating several other companies as gaming firm choice by the country’s Internet café owners.

Pasion said that the gaming is already being used in the South East Asian region as a teaching tool, and was met with significant game offering, Granado Espada, which will be launched here at the end of the month as an example that can be used as educational tool.

Pasion explained that games like Granado Espada can be used to complement the traditional ways of teaching.

“Aside from being a game that can be played by the whole family, Granado Espada spurs critical thinking and objective analysis, mainly because it is more sophisticated and challenging, which can further enhance the learning abilities of students,” Pasion said.

These efforts are part of the company’s thrust to change public perception about gaming which, initially, was seen as harmful to young students, “who have become addicted to these games” especially those with violence-related themes.

“Gaming, per se, is not bad. This explains why our events are always held during non-school days. And we’re even prouder to say that since all our games are family oriented, all members of the family can play,” Pasion said.

IP egames might also tap the home gaming market. Pasion said around 70 percent of gamers play online in Internet cafes while the remaining 30% is comprised of people who play at home.

He cited the home market as another potential area, mainly because broadband connectivity is becoming more affordable. Plus, these are basically people in the A and B market, which has a higher capacity to pay online game rates.

There are also plans to launch more family-oriented games very soon. Pasion hopes that the community will willingly embrace this development. At present, games like Audition and O2Jam, the latter being the number 1 casual game in the country in terms of number of active users, are examples of IP egames’ family oriented games in its portfolio.

By Dennis D. Estopace
BusinessMirror/A12
August 14, 2007

FILIPINOS playing pay computer games online are increasing and getting younger, giving a second life to foundering Internet café businesses that number about 6,000 all over.

Information technology firm IPVG Corp. had a study made that showed this trend. It said online gaming, a subindustry that started only three years ago in the Philippines, posted a 58.4-percent growth year-on-year last year to bring the number of online gamers to some four million today.
 
“That’s a growth rate higher than the Philippines’s GDP [gross domestic product] at 5 percent,” said IPVG president Enrique Y. Gonzalez, who spoke at a business forum for networked computers and mobile phones.

He said they are promoting adver-gaming, or putting advertisements in the games, where the mostly high-school and college student gamers take on mythical roles or characters. “Advergaming is the foreplay before a consumer buys the product in the real world.”

According to a study by International Data Corp., gamers will grow to about 6.3 million by next year. Gonzalez added the number could hit between 15 to 16 million in the country by 2010.

The Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines said its survey revealed 32 percent of those who have access to the Internet, play games; while 30 percent do school research. Gonzalez said 60 percent of the gamer population are in Luzon. “Games are driving Internet use with 62 percent of users playing.”

The reason for the growth is mainly infrastructure, culture, and affordability, according to Gonzalez.

EQUITY FUNDING AND SHARES SALE PROCEEDS
By Dennis D. Estopace , Reporter
BusinessMirror/B1 - August 13, 2007

PUBLICLY listed Intellectual Property Ventures Group Corp., or IPVG, would focus on buying two more companies outside the Philippines this year before listing its subsidiaries, the company said over the weekend.

“While we’re very open to possibilities of listing our subsidiaries, it’s more logical that we focus first on the acquisitions, then the integration—especially that—because it’s not easy to integrate companies,” president Enrique Y. Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez spoke to BusinessMirror after a speech in Makati City on “advergaming” or advertising in online games.

IPVG subsidiary IP E-Game Ventures (Egames) Inc. holds the license to sell Internet-based games for children and young adults aged 12 to 25 years old.

“Let’s put it this way: We just bought Hong Kong-based Globalstride Corp. and Globalstride Holdings Ltd. for $1 million; and we still have two more subsidiaries,” Gonzalez added.

He declined to name the companies IPVG will buy beyond saying that is in Singapore and the other is in HK.

“We can’t grow organically in the Philippines and we want to grow our business faster. We can only do that by setting up regional centers,” Gonzalez added.

Gonzalez said that going public with one or all of IPVG’s subsidiaries “is always an option. But after the purchase, we would integrate the companies first in terms of operational and cultural elements.”

He said the minimum integration is six months. “Only by that time can we review if an initial public offering is a viable option.”

He explained that IPVG’s acquisition strategy is prompted by the country’s fragmented infrastructure for technology. “The integrated Asean bloc in Internet protocol, for example, hasn’t happened. It can only happen if they establish a working regional infrastructure.”

Companies like IPVG, which also operates contact centers, rely heavily on technology and the fast exchange of data through a sophisticated information and telecommunication network.

Dublin, Ireland-based Research and Markets Inc. have predicted that the Asia-Pacific regional markets would witness the continuing transition from existing narrow-band access to broadband access.

Gonzalez explained that the company would buy two more firms outside the Philippines, using the P750 million in equity funding from investors that included three banks as well as the publishing group of the Belmonte family.

With this, Gonzalez said that the last offering of additional 16 million shares is the last since “we now have the war chest for our strategic acquisitions.”

IPVG, he added, posted P41 million in revenue in the first half. The company expects a top line revenue of P357 million.

By Lawrence Casiraya
Inquirer.net
August 8, 2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Publicly listed firm IPVG Corp.(IPVG) announced it has raised additional P128 million in capital after issuing additional shares from Philippine Equity Partners Inc. and RCBC Capital Corporation.

In a disclosure Tuesday, IPVG said it issued an additional 16 million shares, valued at eight pesos per share, to the two shareholders.

This brings total IPVG`s capital to P730 million in equity funding over the last month after issuing a total of some 60 million shares. The company announced P250 million in equity funding in July.

"Due to strong interest and oversubscription for our private placement, our board has extended and increased the size of our offering. With this, we have now officially completed our private placement offering," said Enrique Gonzales, president of IPVG Corp.

IPVG is aggressively pursuing regional expansion through acquisition. The company has announced global partnerships with the likes of Hong Kong operator PCCW and Infocomm Asia Holdings of Singapore.

The company aims to be a regional operator of Internet data centers, online games and a regionally integrated business process outsourcing (BPO) company.

Gonzales expects to complete acquisitions later this year but did not identify specific companies.

IPVG earlier announced investors in Banco de Oro EPCI, Inc. (Trust Department), ING Bank N.V., Manila Branch (Trust Department), Abacus Securities Corp., and the Philippine Star Group (Pilipino Star Ngayon, Inc., Pilipino Star Printing Co., Inc., Kevin Belmonte and Jaime Miguel Belmonte).

Businessworld - page 7/S1
August 8, 2007

Listed IPVG Corp. executed subscription agreements with two financial institutions for the additional issuance of 16 million shares at P8 apiece ore a total investment of P128 million.

The fresh capital was infused by the Philippine Equity Partners, Inc. and RCBC Capital Corp. IPVG has raised a total of P730 million in equity funding consisting of P250 million raised in July, and recently P480 million.

“Due to strong interest and oversubscription for our private placement, our board has extended and increased the size of our offering,” IPVG said.

Philippine Star/B6
August 8, 2007

IPVG Corp. raised an additional P128 million yesterday from another private placements with two new financial institutions, bringing its war chest over the last 30 days to P730 million for its planned expansion program.

In a statement, IPVG said it issued 16 million new common shares at P8 per share. The fresh capital was infused by Philippine Equity Partners Inc. (PhilEquity) and RCBC Capital Corp.

American Orient Capital Partners acted as IPVG’s financial advisor for the transaction.

“Due to strong interest and oversubscription for our private placement, our board has extended and increased the size of our offering. We welcome two new investors into IPVG. RCBC Capital is subscribing to 10 million shares and PhilEquity to six million shares, at a price of P8 per share. This generates an additional P128 million for the company. With this, we have now officially completed our private placement offering IPVG is now more than well funded to pursue its strategic acquisitions. In addition, we have strengthened our shareholder base with renowned financial institutions. This is indeed a major milestone and accomplishment of our company,” said IPVG President Enrique Y. Gonzalez.

“Investors are now recognizing IPVG as a high growth company with a strong management team. We are extremely execution oriented and we will deliver on our targets. It is our intention to take this company to the next level in terms of revenues and profitability. We will deploy this newly raised capital prudently, focusing on the expansion of our core business regionally. We expect to complete a few landmark acquisitions within the half second of 2007,” he added.

IPVG aims to be a regional operator of Internet data centers, online games and regional integrated business process outsourcing (BPO) company. The company has differentiated itself through its global partnerships with the likes of Hong Kong telecom giant PCCW and Infocomm Asia Holders (IAH) Singapore.

In the last two years, IPVG has made significant impact on the local IT scene by turning around the Internet data center business and establishing itself as the top online games publisher with more than 50 percent market share.

IPVG recently expanded its activities in gaming and icafé industry, becoming strategic partner of many internet café operators including Sabiclub.com, a Korean IT company that opened its second branch of high-end Internet café in Vito Cruz, Manila.

“As we expand our business lines, we will remain true to our neutrality as a communications provider, and online game publisher. We will also actively collaborate with all Internet cafés in the Philippines. Our objective is to help this industry grow through better content and infrastructure.” Gonzalez said.

IPVG, publicly listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, is engaged in the information technology and communications space. It owns three operating subsidiaries in information technology and telecommunications, online gaming and BPO.

Malaya / Business -B11
August 8, 2007

IPVG Corp. yesterday raised a total of P352 million capital through private placement of shares. The new capital raised in its addition to an earlier inverstment of P250 million done by ING Bank N.V, Manila Branch (Trust Department) Last month.

Fresh capital was infused by Banco de Oro-EPCI, Inc. (Trust Deparment), ING Bank N.V, Manila Branch (Trust Department), Abacus Securities Corp., and Philippine Star Group.

Enrique Gonzales, IPVG president said the funds will be used in buying other shares.

“It is advantageous to be well funded in a volatile equity environment. It allows the company to focus on operational implementation, and well funded companies can take advantage of cheaper valuations when looking at acquisitions. Volatility usually translates to a ‘buyers market’. With these newly raised funds, IPVG can work to this advantage. IPVG’s fundamentals are now stronger than ever, and we will focus on taking this company to the next level.

By Zinnia B. Dela Peña
Philippine Star, Philstar.com
August 7, 2007
 
Publicly-listed information and communication technology (ICT) conglomerate IPVG Corp.  has raised P352 million in fresh capital through a private placement of shares, strengthening the company’s plans to embark on a regional expansion through strategic acquisitions.
 
“The new funds will be used to finance IPVG’s acquisition roadmap and comes at a time when many companies worldwide are constrained to raise funds from institutional investors,” IPVG president Enrique Gonzalez said yesterday.

IPVG sold 44 million common shares from its authorized and unissued capital stock at P8 per share to foreign and local institutional groups consisting of  Banco de Oro-EPCI Inc. (Trust Department), ING Bank N.V., Manila Branch (Trust Department), Abacus Securities Corp. and The Philippine Star Group (Pilipino Star Ngayon Inc., Pilipino Star Printing Co.Inc.)

The fresh capital is in addition to an earlier investment of P250 million by ING Bank N.V, Manila Branch (Trust Department) last month.

“This recent investment by major financial institutions into IPVG is a vote of confidence in our company. With this growth capital in our war chest, we are now well positioned to proceed with strategic acquisitions across all of our businesses. IPVG also plans to raise debt financing to maintain a healthy debt-to-equity ratio, thereby maximizing the return on shareholders’ equity.” Gonzalez said.

He said the company’s management has outlined plans to grow IPVG’s business through a series of strategic acquisitions that will take IPVG regional. “With over P700 million  in equity funds which will be supplemented with debt financing, the company now has the resources to implement its acquisition road map,” Gonzalez said.
 
He emphasized the significance of the investments amid massive global corrections in the equity markets.

“Although there is a global correction in the equity markets across the board, there is definitely a flight to quality. Overly expensive stocks or stocks with poor fundamentals are being sold, excess fat is being shed.  While some investors are parking their cash and taking a ‘wait and see attitude’, others are seeing this recent correction as a good opportunity to buy quality issues which have attractive valuations,” Gonzalez said.

“Investors are seeing our strong fundamentals and the attractiveness of our business model which can scale up rapidly and provide our shareholders significant upside,” he added.

“It is advantageous to be well funded in a volatile equity environment. It allows the company to focus on operational implementation, and well funded companies can take advantage of cheaper valuations when looking at acquisitions. Volatility usually translates to a ‘buyers market.’ With these newly raised funds, IPVG can work this to its advantage. IPVG’s fundamentals are now stronger than ever, and we will focus on taking this company to the next level,” Gonzalez emphasized.

At the same time, IPVG announced it is building a chain of Internet cafes and network gaming centers throughout the country  to compete with Netopia, which is controlled by telecommunications giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT).

This new venture is in partnership with Sabinclub.com., an information technology-based firm offering web-related and consultancy services.

Incorporated in October 2000, Sabinclub.com employs resources and technology coming from Korea, one of the most powerful and advanced countries in the field of ICT.

IPVG and Sabiclub.com are planning to put up about 100 i-Hooked Internet cafés designed after Korea’s PC Bang.

“The Internet cafe is a critical component of the Internet industry. IPVG will invest in this sector because we want to help the industry develop and grow, ”  said Gonzalez.

The group intends to open a flagship branch in Makati which will have around 100 computers with the succeeding outlets in the area having more than 50 units per branch in the next two years.

“We hope to see more than 100 branches in two years’ time near the big schools and in commercial areas all over the country,” he said.

Two i-Hooked branches have already been set up, one located along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City and the other along Vito Cruz, near De La Salle University, targeting students, residents and other consumers.

To distinguish itself from other Internet cafes, i-Hooked intends to provide the fastest Internet connection with a high-end computer in its target areas, as well as well-trained service staff,” said Sabin.club.com president Dong Hun Lee.

Internet rates at i-Hooked will be flexible, ranging from P25 to P40  per hour to adapt to a particular market’s purchasing capability.

By Likha C. Cuevas-Miel
Manila Times, B2
August 7, 2007 

AMID a slew of public offering of stocks, Filinvest Develop­ment Corp. (FDC) and IPVG Corp. separately announced plans to raise more funds through the sale of equity.

FDC disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange that its board approved on August 3 the planned fund-raising exercise, which involves the sale of 3.5 billion common shares, with an option to sell convertible bonds or IOUs. Convertible debt papers give buyers the option to convert them into shares in the company.

FDC said it is currently studying its options for any fundraising activities, which include the timing and the possibility of the bond float that are still subject to regulatory approvals.

The firm earlier reclassified 2 million preferred shares into 2 billion common shares to give it more flexibility in raising capital. Preferred shareholder are second in line after bondholders when it comes to claims on the company’s earnings and assets, but take precedence over common shareholders.

Last February, FDC unit Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) raised P5.9 billion from its follow-on offering to fund its development projects as the property developer earmarked P5 billion for capital expenditure, P3 billion of which would go to its residential developments and P 1.3 billion for office developments.

Separately, IPVG announced its board approved the issuance and allotment of up to 50 million common shares from its authorized and unissued capital stock at P8 a share. The shares however won’t be sold to the public at large but to institutional buyers through a private placement.

The funds that would be raised from the share sale would finance the expansion of IPVG’s data center, online games and contact-center businesses.

The fresh funds would also allow the firm to invest in new capital equipment, fixed assets and increase its working capital for expansion.

Earlier, IPVG borrowed from UniCapital Inc. and Malayan Savings and Mortgage Bank about P50 million each to partly finance its acquisition and expansion of call-center operations.

IPVG’s business-process outsourcing (BPO) arm, IP Contact Center Outsourcing (IPCCO), recently bought call-center firms Globalstride Holdings Ltd. (GHL) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Globalstride Corp. (GC). The number of seats at the said facility would be increased to 900 from 350 by December, accelerating the contact-center business’ potential to become a major revenue contributor next year.

IPVG also entered the “language tourism” industry with its strategic partner, Jungchul Academy Philippines Inc., by setting up language schools that mainly targets Korean visitors. The venture also offers English-distance learning services to Koreans.

Meanwhile, IPVG and a strategic partner, Sabiclub.com Corp., plan to open about 100 more i-Hooked Internet cafes in the vicinity of schools, commercial and residential areas nationwide in the next two years.

“The Internet cafe is a critical component of the internet industry. It completes the last mile and is point of sale for content and connectivity. IPVG will invest in this sector because we want to help the industry develop and grow,” Enrique Gonzalez, IPVG chief executive, said in a statement.

For each outlet, IPVG and Sabiclub.com would be earmarking P5 million to P10 million, depending on the area and market.

By Honey Madrilejos-Reyes Reporter  
BusinessMirror Online
August 7, 2007

PUBLICLY-traded information technology and online gaming firm IPVG Corp. is raising P400 million from the sale of up to 50 million common shares via private placement or direct offering of securities to a limited number of financial investors.
In a disclosure to the stock exchange Monday, the company said the shares, to be taken from its authorized and unissued capital stock, would be sold at P8 apiece.

“The purpose of the issuance is to raise funds for expansion plans in Data Center, Online Games and Contact Center businesses,” IPVG said in the disclosure.

The fundraising will likewise allow the company to invest in new capital equipment and fixed assets, and increase its working capital for business expansion.

The company’s board has authorized the executive committee to determine the implementing details of the issuance of shares.

Apart from private placement, IPVG is also raising P500 million from a follow-on offering tentatively set in September.

It also plans to tap the debt market to raise another P500 million in proceeds. With a potential funding of P1 billion, the company will put up contact center facilities of 3,000 to 5,000 seats over the next three to four years.

IPVG’s expansion is anchored on a recent agreement with Hong Kong’s PCCW Teleservices Ltd. to provide call center services in the Philippines.

Under the agreement, IPVG, through its wholly owned unit IP-Contact Center Outsourcing Inc.), will provide call-center services to meet the English-language requirements of PCCW Teleservices’ clients in other parts of the world. The cooperation will establish the first PCCW branded and certified contact centers in the Philippines.

IP-Contact Center will need a total of $30 to $40 million to support the undertaking. According to Gonzalez, they could go back to the equities market next year to address the remaining capital requirement.

“Right now we are building up the infrastructure to handle 1,000 seats this year but not all will be utilized. Out of that number maybe we can only use 500 to 600. We expect to become bigger starting 2008,” he said.

IP-Contact Center expects to serve multinational clients from the airline, banking and finance and hotel sectors. The services to be offered are customer front office and teleservices, which handles the design, building and maintenance of contact centers.

By: M.G.S.R.
Businessworld, 8/S1
August 7, 2007

Listed firm IPVG Corp., an information technology and communication company, approved the issuance of an additional 44 million common stocks.

In a special meeting, IPVG board of directors authorized the issuance and allotment of the securities at P8.00 per share.

The shares, which have a total subscription price of P352 million were issued to Banco de Oro, EPCI., Inc., ING Bank N.V., manila Branch, Abacus Securities Corp., and The Philippine Star Group.

BDO–EPCI gets 16.5 million shares for 132 million. ING bank gets 12.5 million shares for 100 million, while Philippine Star gets 10 million shares for 80 million. Abacus gets five million shares for P40 million.

Proceeds would be used for the company’s working capital for its business expansion.

“We are now well positioned to proceed with strategic acquisition across all of our businesses,” said Jaime Enrique Gonzalez, IPVG president.

The company’s interests include data centers, online games, and contact center businesses.

By Lawrence Casiraya
Inquirer.net
August 6, 2007

MANILA,Philippines--Publicly listed firm IPVG Corp. is entering the Internet cafe business through a partnership with Sabiclub.com Corp.

Sabiclub.com runs the Station 168 chain of Internet cafes.

The company is forming a strategic partnership with IPVG in establishing a separate chain branded as "i-Hooked."

"i-Hooked will cater to students while Station 168`s market is primarily foreigners," said Don Hung Lee, Sabiclub.com`s president.

The company has put up two i-Hooked cafes and plans to add a hundred more branches in the next two years.

Lee did not disclose the investment structure with IPVG.

Lee said i-Hooked will be franchised for about P5 million to P10 million.

The partnership has plans of acquiring local cafés in building the i-Hooked brand.

IPVG Corp. is engaged in gaming, data center and other IT-related businesses.

hardwarezone.com.ph
August 6, 2007

Manila, Philippines -- IPVG Corp. and its Business Process Outsourcing subsidiary IP Contact Center Outsourcing Inc. recently announced that it has acquired the assets of Globalstride Corporation and Globalstride Holdings Ltd., a premier provider of outsourced call center solutions that primarily serves inbound/outbound voice support for United States clients.

Under the Purchase Agreement, IPVG acquired the fixed assets and material contracts of GC; as well as GHL`s existing customer accounts. The agreement also likewise gives IPVG/IPCCO the option to retain and hire the employees of GC.

According to IPVG CEO Enrique Gonzalez, the company is currently growing its BPO business both organically and through acquisitions. "The Globalstride deal was an attractive acquisition target for us since it ramps up our contact center business from 80 seats to a total of 350 seats," Gonzalez shared. "This is just the first of many significant acquisitions and developments for our BPO business."

Meanwhile Eric Paragas, IPCCO president and COO, said that the company is very excited in the Globalstride acquisition. "This acquisition positions the company for a very rapid and sustained organic growth."

Globalstride Holdings Ltd. is a US-based company engaged in the business of providing customer relationship management services, catering mostly to North American clients in the publishing, catalogue and ICT industries. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Globalstride Corporation, was established in the Philippines in 2000 to likewise be a premier offshore customer relationship management firm servicing clients through phone, e-mail and on-line internet chat.

Positive Collaboration
The agreement is priced approximately at USD $1 million. Gonzalez said that Globalstride has a very competent group of managers and operators and that the management has decided to retain its personnel by absorbing them into its IPCCO operations. All customer contracts are likewise transferred to IPCCO. "All Globalstride clients in general were very pleased to hear of our involvement," he added.

"We believe the synergies we will gain with the talented operations team at Globalstride and IPCCO management team will create new value for our existing clients, customers and partners as well as our future target market."

IPVG recently announced its second successive quarter of positive income for the company that entered the IP-Communications space two years ago through the acquisition of the Internet Data Center from Reach. Unaudited consolidated revenues for the first half of 2007 grew 5x Year on Year (YOY) to PhP 335M from PhP65.4M of the same period last year.

IPVG has increased shareholder value by 5.3x over the last 12 months. From a market capitalization of approximately PhP 1.0 billion in July 2006, IPVG is currently a PhP 5.5 billion company.

For more information, please visit www.ipvg.com.

By: Maria Francesca M. Baja
BusinessWorld/S1/7
August 6, 2007

Korean Information Technology (IT) company Sabiclub.com Corp. teamed up with publicly listed firm Intellectual Properties Ventures Group (IPVG) Corp. to launch i-Hooked, a high-end chain of Internet Café and network gaming centers.

i-Hooked is patterned after Koea’s “PC Bang” type of shop. Bang means room in Korean.
“We (Sabiclub) have various ideas for the Internet Café (business) but we don’t know how to move forward in the Philippine market. We need the partnership (with) a Philippine company,” said Sabiclub Chief Executive Dong Hun Lee of the joint venture.

Sabiclub is 89% Korean-owned.

IPConnect, a wholly owned subsidiary of IPVG, is the Internet provider for i-Hooked. IPVG’s involvement extends to supplying online games from their IP Interactive sector.

“The Internet Café is s critical component of the Internet industry. IPVG will invest in this sector because we want to help the industry develop and grow,” said IPVG Chief Executive Jaime Enrique Y. Gonzalez.

Mr. Lee said the competence of Sabiclub’s other franchise, Station 168, encouraged IPVG to invest in the venture.

This latest brainchild of Station 168 franchisors, Sabiclub recently opened its first two branches. The first i-Hooked outlet opened along Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, in front of Ateneo de Manila University last June. The second in Vito Cruz, Manila near De La Salle University opened in the first week-end of August. The shops operate 24 hours a day.

Mr. Lee said that i-Hooked is “for the young generation in the Philippines.” The group is also looking to open a third branch in the university belt.

Customers have the option to apply for membership that will give them special discounts. Management assures regular service and hardware upgrades. I-Hooked will also hold regular tournaments for members.

The joint initiative aims to open about 100 more branches throughout school, commercial and residential locations throughout school, commercial and residential locations throughout the country in two years. The companies plan to sell the franchise nationwide but said that at the moment, their focus would be Metro Manila.

Expansion plans include converting existing i-Hoooked. According to Mr. Lee, “We purchase the branch or tie-up with them, so we just change their name. We will be giving them more benefits through our service.”

Each outlet is allotted between P5 million to 10 million, depending on the area and number of computer stations.

Shops have an average of 50 stations with Internet Connection speeds of 4Mbps, 19-inch wide LCD monitors, Intel Core 2 Duo processors and subwoofer speakers and “nice chairs.”

Initial rates are at P35 per hour and will be flexible when more branches are established. Price adjustments will range from P25 to P40 per hour to adapt to the growing market’s purchasing power.

Sabiclub.com offers Web-based consultancy services such as Web hosting, Web design, and e-marketing for large and small scale businesses.

IPVG has three operating subsidiaries in IT and telecommunications, online gaming, and business process outsourcing.

By Dennis D. Estopace
BusinessMirror/Companies B1
August 6, 2007

PUBLICLY-LISTED IPVG Corp., which operates an online gaming platform, embarked on a joint venture with a Korean investor, which intends to introduce “the second generation of Internet cafés” in the Philippines.

According to Dong Hun Lee, chairman of Sabiclub.com, the venture’s Korean partner, the newly-created company will not only establish up to 200 Internet cafés which run 24 hours a day, the same shops will also sell food, rent out and/or show videos. Lee said that the third-generation Internet cafés now offer customers online gaming services and lease office space that “call-center agents can use.”

“We plan to make a very big flagship and are putting up our main hub in Makati City,” Lee told reporters on Friday.

He added that Sabiclub.com Corp., a closely-held, locally-registered company has an “ongoing exploratory arrangement” with IP Converge Data Center Inc., an IPVG subsidiary, to compete in the country’s burgeoning Internet coffee shop business. Although he said that the venture may even acquire an existing café in the Philippines’ premier business district, Lee failed to identify specific locations.

Most Internet cafés in the Philippines are still within the first generation, Lee said, “where you put all personal computers and, that’s it.”

Although Sabiclub’s first business venture falls within the second-generation category of net cafés, it caters exclusively to Koreans and foreigners. The company owns seven Internet café shops under the Station 168 brand.

Its partnership with IPVG is for the i-Hooked brand, where two shops are currently being operated.

Lee said that IPVG’s subsidiary provides the online content and the 4-Megabyte per second bandwidth connection to the two i-Hooked shops.

IPVG, he said, has neither infused equity into the partnership nor acquired a franchise for its own Internet café.
 
The agreement, Lee explained, is being led first by Sabiclub, which sells a franchise for between P5 million to P7 million.

Early this month, the second two-story shop Sabiclub was launched. Amounting to P7.8 million, the shop covers 270 square meters, rents out 25 computers, and features a dining area.

Lee said that the venture is currently negotiating with two possible franchisees which would open this month. The venture promises that the franchisees’ investments will be recouped in two years and a technological upgrade equivalent to six months income.

Sabiclub has a paid-up capital of P5 million and is 89-percent owned by Koreans.

Manilatimes.net
August 4, 2007

Information technology and communications company IPVG Corp. (PSE: IPVG) and its BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) subsidiary IP Contact Contact Center Outsourcing Inc. (IPCCO) recently announced that it has acquired the assets of Globalstride Corporation (GC) and Globalstride Holdings Ltd. (GHL), a premier provider of outsourced call center solutions that primarily serves inbound/outbound voice support for United States clients. 

Under the Purchase Agreement, IPVG acquired the fixed assets and material contracts of GC; as well as GHL`s existing customer accounts. The agreement also likewise gives IPVG/IPCCO the option to retain and hire the employees of GC. 

According to IPVG CEO Enrique Gonzalez, the company is currently growing its BPO business both organically and through acquisitions. "The Globalstride deal was an attractive acquisition target for us since it ramps up our contact center business from 80 seats to a total of 350 seats," Gonzalez shared. "This is just the first of many significant acquisitions and developments for our BPO business."

Meanwhile Eric Paragas, IPCCO president and COO, said that the company is very excited in the Globalstride acquisition. "This acquisition positions the company for a very rapid and sustained organic growth." 

Globalstride Holdings Ltd. is a US-based company engaged in the business of providing customer relationship management services, catering mostly to North American clients in the publishing, catalogue and ICT industries. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Globalstride Corporation, was established in the Philippines in 2000 to likewise be a premier offshore customer relationship management firm servicing clients through phone, e-mail and on-line Internet chat. 

Positive Collaboration
The agreement is priced approximately at USD $1 million. Gonzalez said that Globalstride has a very competent group of managers and operators that the management has decided to retain its personnel and absorbing into its IPCCO operations. All customer contracts are likewise transferred to IPCCO. "All Globalstride clients in general were very pleased to hear of our involvement," he added.

Paragas adds: "We believe the synergies we will gain with the talented operations team at Globalstride and IPCCO management team will create new value for our existing clients, customers and partners as well as our future target market.

IPVG recently announced its second successive quarter of positive income for the company that entered the IP-Communications space two years ago through the acquisition of the Internet Data Center from Reach. Unaudited consolidated revenues for the first half of 2007 grew 5x Year on Year (YOY) to PhP335M from PhP65.4M of the same period last year.  

IPVG has increased shareholder value by 5.3x over the last 12 months. From a market capitalization of approximately PhP1.0 billion in July 2006, IPVG is currently a PhP5.5 billion company.

By: Ruby Anne M. Rubio
BusinessWorld, S1/9
August 3, 2007 – Friday

Listed Internet firm IPVG Corp. has secured a P50-million loan form investment house Unicapital, Inc.

In a disclosure, Chief Finance Officer Emmanuel Jalandoni said the loan, which has a term of one year, would be used to partially finance IPVG acquisition and expansion of call center.

“Since its inception in 1994, the company has successfully established itself as an active player in the trading of fixed income and equity securities, the underwriting and distribution of commercial papers, preferred shares and equity issues for listing in the Philippine Stock Exchange and the provision of financial advice to its corporate clients,” he said.

IPVG and its business process outsourcing (BPO) subsidiary IP Contact Center, Inc. (IPCCO) recently bought the 260-seat of contact center of US-based Globalstride Holdings Ltd. and its subsidiary Globalstride Corp. for $1 million.

IPVG Chief Executive Enrique Gonzalez said earlier the company was currently growing its BPO business both organically and through acquisitions.

“The Globalstride deal was an attractive acquisition target for us since it ramps up our contact center business from 80 seats to a total of 350 seats. This is just the first of many significant acquisition and developments for our BPO business,” he added.

Globalstride Holdings caters mostly North American clients in the publishing, catalog and ICT industries. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Globalstride was established in the Philippines in 2000 to provide offshore customer relationship management firm servicing clients through telephone. E-mail and online Internet chat.

Under the purchase agreement, IPVG bought the fixed assets and material contracts of Globalstride and Globalstride Holdings’ existing customer accounts. It also gives IPVG and IPCCO the option to retain and hire the employees of Globalstride.

IPCCO President and Chief Operating Officer Eric Paragas said the acquisition “positions the company for a very rapid and sustainable organic growth.”

“We believe the synergies we will gain with the talented operations team at Globalstride and IPCCO management team at Globalstride and IPCCO management team will create new value for existing clients, customers and partners as well as our future target market,” he added.

Mr. Gonzalez said IPVG would absorb Globalstride’s employees. All customer contarcts will be transferred to IPCCO.

IPVG has three operating subsidiaries in information technology and telecommunications online gaming and BPO.

By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer/B3
August 3, 2007

IPVG CORP. signed Wednesday a loan agreement with Unicapital Inc. for a P50-million term loan.

According to its website, Unicapital Inc is a full-service investment house founded in 1994. It trades fixed income and equity securities. It also underwrites and distributes commercial papers, preferred shares and equity issues for listing.

In a letter to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), IPVG CFO and corporate information officer Emmanuel L. Jalandoni said the one-year loan would partially finance IPVG`s acquisition of a call center.

IPVG also secured a P50-million loan from Malayan Savings and Mortgage Bank.
The firm and its business process outsourcing subsidiary, IP Contact Center Outsourcing Inc., earlier acquired the assets of US-based call center solutions provider Globalstride Corp. and Globalstride Holdings Ltd. for $1 million.

IPVG acquired the fixed assets and material contracts of Globalstride Corp. as we ll as the accounts of its holding company. The agreement gives IPVG and IPCCO the option to retain and hire the employees of the corporation.

By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer/B3
August 2, 2007

ICT company IPVG Corp. and its business process outsourcing (BPO) subsidiary, IP Contact Center Outsourcing Inc. (IPCCO), acquired the assets of call center solutions provider Globalstride Corp. and Globalstride Holdings Ltd. for $1 million.

Globalstride is a US-based provider of outsourced call center solutions that primarily serve inbound and outbound voice support. Its clients are mostly located in North America.

Under the purchase agreement, IPVG acquired the fixed assets and material contracts of Globalstride Corp. as well as the accounts of its holding company.

IPVG CEO Enrique Gonzales said the acquisition will help IPVG grow its BPO business.

"The Globalstride deal was an attractive proposition for us since it ramps up our contact center business from 80 seats to a total of 350 seats," he said.

By Zinnia B. Dela Peña
The Philippine Star/B1
Philstar.com
August 2, 2007 - Thursday
 
 
IPVG Corp. has sealed a deal to acquire the assets, contracts and existing customers of Globalstride Holdings Ltd. (GHL), a 260-seat contact center located in Libis, the company told the Philippine Stock Exchange.
 
IPVG did not disclose the purchase price for the contact center. It, however, announced the other day that it was securing a P50-million loan from Malayan Savings & Mortgage Bank to fund the acquisition of a call center.
 
Also signed were deeds of sale on infrastructure components and the lease agreement of the call center.
 
Globalstride primarily services inbound/outbound voice support for North American clients. Among its shareholders include leading venture capital firm Hambrecht & Quist and the Ayala Group through Azalea Technology Investments Inc.
 
The move is in line with the group’s bid to further expand its call center operations to take advantage of the booming call center operations in the country. With the acquisition, IPVG unit IP Contact Center Outsourcing Inc.’s total seats would increase to as much as 350.
 
Under the agreement, IPPCO will assume the obligations in respect to the customer accounts to be transferred by GHL and will hire the customer service representatives and employees of Globastride.
 
IPPCO provides support on the aspects of local talent pool and facilities to enable Hong Kong partner PCCW Teleservices to extend its contact center and telecommunications solutions in the Philippines to service North American clients.

ACQUISITION BOOSTS IP CONTACT CENTER’S SEATS FROM 80 TO 350
By Honey Madrilejos-Reyes
Business Mirror / B2
August 2, 2007
 

PUBLICLY-traded information technology and communications company IPVG Corp. has acquired for $1 million the assets of Globalstride Corp. and Globalstride Holdings Ltd.
 
American Globalstride Holdings and its Philippine unit Globalstride Corp. basically provide outsourced call-center solutions to clients based in the United States.
 
IPVG and its business process outsourcing (BPO) arm IP Contact Center Outsourcing Inc. bought the fixed assets and material contracts of Globalstride Corp. and the existing customer accounts of Globalstride Holdings. The buyer will also absorb the management and employees of Globalstride Corp.
 
“The Globalstride deal was an attractive acquisition target for us, since it ramps up our contact center business from 80 seats to 350 seats. This is just the first of many significant acquisitions and developments for our BPO business,” said chief executive Enrique Gonzalez.
 
The acquisition will be funded by the P50-million term loan recently secured by the company from Malayan Bank Savings and Mortgage.
 
Globalstride Holdings is a US-based company that provides customer relationship management services, catering mostly to North American clients in the publishing, catalogue and ICT industries.
 
Globalstride Corp., a wholly owned unit, was established in the Philippines in 2000 as an offshore customer relationship management firm, servicing clients through phone, e-mail and online chat.

Gadgets Magazine
August 2007

IT company Sabi.Club Corp. and listed ICT firm IPVG Corp. recently launched the iHooked Internet Café, the first of a chain of internet and network gaming centers, aimed at students and consumers.

iHooked’s design is based on South Korea`s “PC Bang,” a stylized internet café popular in that country. The first iHooked is located at Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City in front of Ateneo de Manila University. It has over 60 top-of-the-line PCs, a spacious wireless Internet lounge, a bar, and a sitting room allowing customers to order food from the bar.

Dong Hun Lee, president and CEO of Sabiclub.Com said they designed iHooked to look like a home’s living room area so that visitors will feel more comfortable using the facilities. IPVG CEO Enrique Gonzales adds, “As strategic partner of Sabiclub, we work closely together on a number of fronts.

iHooked café is a spin-off of Sabiclub’s Station 168, another chain of Internet cafes built mainly for international clientele. Twenty more branches are in the pipeline.

The next iHooked café will be built in De La Salle University in Taft Avenue, Manila. Surfing charges is at Php 36 per hour but pricing could be adapted depending on the location.

Manila Bulletin – Business Bulletin B1
August 1, 2007

Tech firm IPVG Corporation announced that it is acquiring a call center and has obtained a P50-million term loan from Malayan Savings & Mortgage Bank to partially finance this deal. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) yesterday, IPVG corporate secretary Maria Eleonor Santiago said the firm has signed a loan agreement with Malayan for a term of one year, extendable for another six months. IPVG is embarking on a series of fund raising exercises to finance the expansion of its existing data center, online gaming and business process outsourcing businesses, fund acquisitions and other new investments. The firm recently raised P250 million from a private placement of 41.67 primary shares to the local branch of ING Bank at P6.00 per share. IPVG is also raising P1 billion through a combination of a follow-through offering and debt to finance the expansion of its subsidiaries – particularly the $40 million expansion of its contact center business.

By: R.A.M.R.
BusinessWorld - S1/9
August 1, 2007

Malayan Bank Savings & Mortgage Bank has executed a P50-miilion loan agreement with listed information technology firm IPVG Corp.

In a disclosure, Corporate Secretary Maria Eleonor A. Santiago said the loan would be used to partially finance the acquisition of a call center.

“It will have a term of one year, extendable for another six months. Malayan Bank is a thrift bank duly organized and existing under the laws of the Philippines,” she said.

IPVG Managing Director Enrique Gonzalez said earlier the company will try to raise P1 billion through debt and equity to expand its eGames business regionally and acquire more Triple-A game titles.

ABS-CBN News Interactive
August 1, 2007

Information technology firm IPVG Corp. has executed Tuesday a P50-million loan agreement with Malayan Bank Savings & Mortgage Bank.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the company said the loan will be used to partially finance its call center acquisition.

The loan has a one-year term, which is extendable for another six months.

Earlier, IPVG said its business process outsourcing arm IP Contact Center Outsourcing Inc. (IPCCO) is projected to hit 1,000 seats by end of this year.

IPCCO currently has 350 seats.

By Zinnia B. Dela Peña
The Philippine Star/B5
Philstar.com
August 1, 2007