'Informed choice'

In its statement, PSIA said: 'We believe that both users and developers of software should have the freedom of choice as to which technology can best address their unique business needs and requirements. In this sense, technology is only a tool and not an end in itself. As anyone running a business will attest, the point is never the tool itself but the business requirement it seeks to address.'

Advocating a single technology platform over another is ''short-sighted, myopic and a disservice to both users and developers of software as well as to the Filipino people, whose best interests are compromised by limiting the technology options from which to choose to serve their requirements', according to PSIA.

On government's goal of optimizing the use of technology, PSIA listed down the following points:

-- Government needs to spend more time defining its information system requirements and the evaluation criteria which will determine which solution and technology platform can best serve such requirements.