Fujitsu tapped to automate financial management system at Subic freeport

OLONGAPO CITY – Fujitsu Phils. Inc., a leading provider of information products and services, entered into a contract with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) for the computerization of the freeport zone’s financial management system.

SBMA chairman Felicito Payumo and Fujitsu Phils. president Felipe Manalang signed the agreement to fully automate the SBMA’s key business processes and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of freeport operations.

Fujitsu chairman Shigeo Tsubotani and SBMA senior deputy administrator for support services Chito Cruz witnessed the contract signing.

"This is part of the envisioned CyberSubic project linking to the projected high volume of business activities and our desire to continually improve services to both foreign and local investors," Payumo said.

Payumo cited the need for the freeport system’s improvement using information technology with the expected increase in business activities at the economic zone, particularly after the completion of the 92-kilometer Subic-Clark toll road and the Subic port modernization project.

The IT agreement will involve the development of an Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS), which includes improvements in the budgeting, purchasing, general ledger, accounts receivable and payable, cash disbursement, bank reconciliation, loans payable, project management and accounting processes.

At present, the SBMA has standardized on Oracle for its database platform and development tools with an existing built-in application system.

The SBMA’s overall system implementation strategy depends on in-house development using Oracle’s database management system and Internet developer site.

SBMA and Fujitsu will form a system development team composed of IT system analysts and programmers from the SBMA’s Management Information System and Property Procurement Management Departments, to be augmented by full-time technical staffers of Fujitsu, to develop the IFMS modules.