President Estrada issued recently a proclamation establishing the status of Northgate CyberZone in Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang as an official information technology (IT) park. This follows the earlier endorsement of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) for this master-planned, high-tech working environment created for IT target locators.
Development of Northgate CyberZone is now in full swing with the ongoing construction of the zone's first two buildings. Targeted for completion this October are two four-storey buildings designed to provide the elaborate requirements of technology-based companies. This early, several IT companies have expressed interest in setting up offices within the zone.
The distinctive advantage of Northgate CyberZone is its broadband campus network that enables the zone to experience the power of convergence. This facility will operate on a high-speed convergent backbone and will be capable of carrying voice, video and data through various solution platforms. This network infrastructure will also be fault-tolerant and designed for scalability not only to take advantage of today's most advanced technology but will also be ready for future technological changes. Various communication carriers will provide their services within Northgate CyberZone to open up more communication options for locators in addressing their operating requirements.
In a statement issued by Filinvest, through Andrew Gotianun III, marketing officer of Northgate CyberZone, the presidential proclamation was lauded as a significant milestone towards the company's goal of stimulating the growth of the IT industry.
"This official accreditation sets into motion our efforts to take up the cyber challenge to pursue our vision of developing an IT corridor that is at par with our neighboring countries and to facilitate the eminence of the Philippines in the IT field," explained Gotianun III.
Located in the sprawling 244-hectare, Filinvest Corporate City, Northgate CyberZone occupies over 18 hectares within this satellite city, at the gateway of the CALABARZON growth corridor. Aside from being highly accessible to the major centers, a strong, highly-educated and English-speaking IT workforce in the immediate vicinity is an important advantage.
A significant element of the Northgate CyberZone master plan is the set up of intelligent offices and the wide range of support facilities such as shared laboratories, conference facilities, a media laboratory and a cyber library. These form part of the Convergence Hall, the central venue of interaction for the IT professionals in the CyberZone. It will also house cafes and a food count, sports facilities; and business-support facilities.
Amidst this high-tech infrastructure however, Northgate CyberZone will be in a campus-like setting. The IT zone will feature a landscaped, nature-friendly environment with lush greenery, pocket gardens and various open spaces surrounding the buildings and pathways. Gotianun III added, "It will be refreshing to work in such an environment where high-tech complexity will be complemented by nature's greenery."
In the near future, Northgate CyberZone will also have an IT school encouraging the fruitful interaction of the academe and business. The school will have a specialized curriculum that will equip students with the necessary and marketable skills. Filinvest is now in the process of negotiating with several top universities to realize this integral part of the master plan.