National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director-General Romulo Neri (far right) stresses a point during the discussion on “Growing the Philippine Software Industry” at the Software Innovations Philippines 2006 CEO Forum held recently at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. The Socioeconomic Planning Secretary said there is a need for the academe to link up with the private sector to ensure the supply of information technology (IT) workers for the expanding markets for the industry. Neri also lauded the Filipino IT worker, who has been instrumental in spurring the development of the sector. With him are (from left), Michael Alan Hamlin, Managing Director of TeamAsia and Oliver Roll, General Manager for Citizenship and PR, Microsoft Asia Pacific.