MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Pure Foods Co. Inc., one of the country’s leading food companies, and IBM have signed a five-year strategic agreement to optimize the delivery of IT operations support and efficiently address the computing requirements of SMPFC to better serve thousands of users nationwide. As an industry leader, SMPFC wanted to create smarter operations and improve productivity and efficiency. The company wanted to engage a strategic partner to build a robust IT infrastructure and enable its growth trajectory. After a thorough evaluation, SMPFC tapped IBM to help transform its IT organization and become a smarter enterprise. “SMPFC is a pioneer in the Philippine food industry, and this engagement with IBM is a testament of our continuing commitment to drive transformation for greater results,†said Francisco S. Alejo III, president, San Miguel Pure Foods. Under the agreement, IBM will provide desktop management services to SMPFC, covering the deployment of hardware, end user support (helpdesk and onsite support), and asset management and tracking. This IT transformation project is seen to relieve the food giant of managing day-to-day IT operations, enabling it to focus on its core business. “IBM is looking forward to this long-term strategic partnership that will help bolster SMPFC’s leadership position and empower them to become a smarter enterprise,†said Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, president and country general manager of IBM Philippines. “By providing them with a cohesive IT support system, we hope to contribute to the company’s vision of becoming an even stronger food company in the region.