MANILA, Philippines -- Spending will be down but not out next year, according to top local executives of major information technology vendors IBM, EMC and Sun Microsystems.

INQUIRER.net conducted year-ender interviews with country managers of these multinational companies.

While all three officials acknowledged what analysts have predicted a turn for the worse, they see opportunities to sell technology to local end-users.

They are also banking on IT to remain a critical component of companies' operations even in an economic slowdown.

"I really would like us to take this opportunity take advantage of opportunities (in the local market) through our ability to change cost models as needed by companies," said IBM Philippines country manager James Velasquez.

Velasquez sees opportunities in industries such as business process outsourcing (BPO) that continue to expand, albeit cautiously given the situation abroad.

"My view is that next year companies will be looking at solutions that allow them to be cost competitive," Velasquez said. "We also see opportunities in companies that want to go global or expand overseas."

Storage vendor EMC, meanwhile, is focusing on selling solutions that, according to country manager Ronnie Latinazo, deliver the best value for end-users

"These are solutions that [enable companies] to save costs and expenses, improve operational efficiency, store information intelligently. That's our 'sweet spot' in order to drive their storage requirements," Latinazo said.

Latinazo claims EMC corners no less than 40 percent of the total storage market locally as of third quarter 2008.

He added EMC is looking to improve its market share next year by expanding its channel network outside of Metro Manila.

The public sector has often been cited as a key market.

Sun Microsystems is banking on government IT spending, having a sizable installed base in agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Securities and Exchange Commission, both large-scale projects.

"I believe the government will still continue to spend in terms of maintaining what it currently has," said Cynthia Mamon, Sun Microsystems Philippines president.

"Also, election is forthcoming so there should be money going around and new projects in the works when a new administration comes in," said Mamon, past president of industry group Information Technology Association of the Philippines.