Microsoft cuts software prices in RP by nearly half

MANILA, Philippines - Microsoft Philippines will slash product prices by nearly half to make them more accessible to its target audience, the software company said in a statement. Starting this month, the Home and Student editions of Microsoft Office 2007 will be slashed by as much as 40 percent, bringing prices to P4,999 for each set. The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) version, which comes with the hardware, is now at P3,800. In a statement, Microsoft Philippines said the pricing scheme is available to the software company’s emerging markets which includes the Philippines. “This permanent product offering for Microsoft Office Home & Student will enable more Filipinos to access tools that will help them realize greater educational and economic opportunities," said Microsoft Philippines Managing Director Rafael Rollan in a statement. The cost reduction is part of the company’s global Unlimited Potential Program which aims to make technology more accessible to those at the “middle and bottom of the world’s economic pyramid." Included in the program is providing software grants to educational and non-government institutions and technology training. Microsoft Office Home & Student is built especially for the needs of students and home users. The suite comes with Microsoft Office Word 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 and Microsoft Office One Note 2007. These applications are for creating powerful presentations, documents, computations and other multimedia tasks among others. The company is also actively promoting respect for intellectual property rights. Microsoft Philippines Communications Manager Mae Rivera-Moreno added the price reduction and broader retail availability of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 demonstrates the company’s “commitment to dramatically expand the availability and to encourage the use of genuine Microsoft Office software in the Philippines and in other emerging markets." - GMANews.TV