Editing Computer Professionals' Union

{{Short description|Professional organization in the Philippines}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                 = Computer Professionals' Union
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| abbreviation         = CPU
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| formation            = 2001
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| type                 = Non-stock, non-profit
| status               = 
| purpose              = Advancing Information Communication Technology for the [[Filipino people]]
| headquarters         = Quezon City
| location             = Philippines
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| membership           = 
| languages            = Filipino, English
| general              = 
| leader_title         = Chairperson
| leader_name          = Kim Cantillas
| leader_title2        = Secretary General
| leader_name2         = Franklin Maraya
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| website              = {{URL|https://cp-union.com}}
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}}

The '''Computer Professionals' Union''' ('''CPU''' or '''CP-Union''') is a mass organization of [[information and communications technology]] (ICT) professionals, practitioners, and workers in the [[Philippines]]. It is registered in the Philippines as a non-stock, non-profit, non-government organization that promotes activist ICT principles and organize ICT professionals to provide ICT services to [[Filipino people]].<ref name=whatCPU /><ref name=aboutCPU>{{cite web|title=About Computer Professionals' Union|url=http://www.cp-union.com/article/2011/11/13/about-computer-professionals-union|publisher=Computer Professionals' Union|accessdate=8 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128022733/http://www.cp-union.com/article/2011/11/13/about-computer-professionals-union|archivedate=28 January 2013}}</ref> Their office is located at [[Quezon City]] and their current Chairperson is Kim Cantillas.<ref>{{cite web|title=Software Freedom Day 2012: Going Green with the Free and Open Source Community|url=http://www.cp-union.com/article/2012/09/06/software-freedom-day-2012-going-green-free-and-open-source-community|accessdate=8 January 2013|date=6 September 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130071130/http://www.cp-union.com/article/2012/09/06/software-freedom-day-2012-going-green-free-and-open-source-community|archivedate=30 January 2013}}</ref>

Some of CPU initiatives include [[Software Freedom Day]] celebration in the Manila,<ref>{{cite news|title=LOADING... Country Celebrates Software Freedom Day 2005|url=http://www.mb.com.ph/node/139333#.UOupvaz758E|accessdate=8 January 2013|newspaper=[[Manila Bulletin]]|date=14 September 2005|author=Peachy Limpin}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=RP's biggest 'Software Freedom Day' set Saturday|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/121562/scitech/rp-s-biggest-software-freedom-day-set-saturday|accessdate=8 January 2013|newspaper=GMA News|date=19 September 2008}}</ref> promotion of [[Free and Open Source Software]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Free and Open Source|url=http://www.cp-union.com/advocacy/Free-and-Open-Source|publisher=Computer Professionals' Union|accessdate=8 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128022717/http://www.cp-union.com/advocacy/Free-and-Open-Source|archivedate=28 January 2013}}</ref> including [[Drupal]],<ref>{{cite web|title=DrupalCamp3D: Down and Dirty with Drupal|url=http://www.cp-union.com/project/drupalcamp3d-down-and-dirty-drupal|publisher=Computer Professionals' Union|accessdate=8 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129233440/http://www.cp-union.com/project/drupalcamp3d-down-and-dirty-drupal|archivedate=29 January 2013}}</ref> the Philippine Digital Justice Initiative<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-15 |title=Root Access {{!}} Pursuing digital justice in the Philippines |url=https://www.bulatlat.com/2021/09/15/root-access-pursuing-digital-justice-in-the-philippines/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=Bulatlat |language=en-US}}</ref> and collaboration with [[Wikimedia Foundation#Movement affiliates|Wikimedia Philippines]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Wikipedia East Asia Tour|url=http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_East_Asia_Tour_:_Philippines#Computer_Professionals.27_Union|publisher=Wikimedia Philippines|accessdate=8 January 2013}}</ref>

==History==

The organization was started in 2001 by a group of information communications technology practitioners. They officially registered under the Philippine [[Securities and Exchange Commission (Philippines)|Securities and Exchange Commission]] in 2008 as a non-profit and non-stock corporation.

==Activism==

[[File:2011WikimediaPhilippineTour035.JPG|thumb|Meeting of Wikimedia Foundation, Wikimedia Philippines, and Computer Professionals' Union at the CPU office in Quezon City. Third from the left is National Director Rick Bahague, and first from the right is Deputy National Director Gladys Regalado]]

CPU is notable for its belief that the ICT sector in the Philippines is controlled and dominated by foreign [[monopoly]] capitalists, which stunts the growth and development of Filipino technology and economy.<ref name=aboutCPU /> CPU supports a truly nationalist and democratic government that will advance and promote a people's ICT.<ref name=aboutCPU /> CPU believes that, like farmers, workers, and other sectors in the country, ICT workers also need to organize in order to advance their specific needs.<ref name=whatCPU>{{cite web|title=What is CPU?|url=http://www.cp-union.com/project/what-cpu|accessdate=8 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129233519/http://www.cp-union.com/project/what-cpu|archivedate=29 January 2013}}</ref>

A year before the [[2010 Philippine general election]]s, CPU warns sophisticated cheating with the Philippines' first automated polls.<ref>{{cite web|title=Computer Experts Warn of Sophisticated Dagdag Bawas with Automated Polls|url=http://bulatlat.com/main/2009/04/04/computer-experts-warn-of-sophisticated-dagdag-bawas-with-automated-polls/|publisher=Bulatlat|accessdate=8 January 2013|author=Ronalyn V. Olea|date=4 April 2009}}</ref> They had hosted a national conference in [[University of the Philippines]] in Diliman, Quezon City to discuss the automated election system (AES).<ref name=elections>{{cite news|title=IT groups to meet to discuss automated polls|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/157863/news/nation/it-groups-to-meet-to-discuss-automated-polls|accessdate=8 January 2013|newspaper=[[GMA News]]|date=21 April 2009}}</ref> Rick Bahague, CPU National Coordinator said that the goal of the conference was to gather experiences and best practices in technologies relevant to AES. He further said that software bugs in the AES system can affect machines to be used in the elections and the automated election system is vulnerable to manipulation from inside or outside attacks.<ref name=elections />

During the height of the [[Protests against SOPA and PIPA|protests]] against [[Stop Online Piracy Act|Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)]] and [[PROTECT IP Act|PROTECT IP Act (PIPA)]] in January 2012, CPU expressed strong opposition to it.<ref name=sopapipa>{{cite web|title=Computer Professionals’ Union opposes SOPA and PIPA Act|url=http://davaotoday.com/main/2012/01/19/computer-professionals-union-opposes-sopa-and-pipa-act/|publisher=Davao Today|accessdate=8 January 2013|date=17 January 2012}}</ref> They said that SOPA and PIPA that were being pushed in the [[United States Congress]] attack free speech and expression and would have impacts to human rights groups, bloggers, advocacy groups and all content creators in the web. They believed that any website can be closed without due process.<ref name=sopapipa />

In September 2012, [[Benigno Aquino III|Philippine President Aquino]] signed the [[Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012]] enacted by [[15th Congress of the Philippines]]. The law had led numerous sectors including Computer Professionals' Union to protest it.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why we protest the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012? (A Briefer)|url=http://www.cp-union.com/article/2012/10/07/why-we-protest-cybercrime-prevention-act-2012-briefer|publisher=Computer Professionals' Union|accessdate=8 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130011701/http://www.cp-union.com/article/2012/10/07/why-we-protest-cybercrime-prevention-act-2012-briefer|archivedate=30 January 2013}}</ref><ref name=cybercrime>{{cite web|title=Internet activists, LGBTs join clamor for nullification of cybercrime law|url=http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/09/27/internet-activists-lgbts-join-clamor-for-nullification-of-cybercrime-law/|publisher=Bulatlat|accessdate=8 January 2013|date=27 September 2012}}</ref> According to CPU, sections of the law may have various interpretations that may lead to intentional or non-intentional misinterpretations by State authorities wherein computer users can be punished without due process.<ref>{{cite news|title=Martial Law in the digital age?|url=http://davaotoday.com/main/2012/09/30/martial-law-in-the-digital-age/|accessdate=8 January 2013|newspaper=Davao Today|date=30 September 2012|author=John Rizle L. Saligumba}}</ref> They further said that Section 19 of the law has become far worse than SOPA and PIPA.<ref name=cybercrime />

In 2021, CPU launched the Philippine Digital Justice Initiative.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-15 |title=Root Access {{!}} Pursuing digital justice in the Philippines |url=https://www.bulatlat.com/2021/09/15/root-access-pursuing-digital-justice-in-the-philippines/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=Bulatlat |language=en-US}}</ref>

In October 2022, Philippine President Marcos Jr. signed the SIM Card Registration Act.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Galvez |first=Daphne |date=2022-10-10 |title=Bongbong Marcos signs SIM Card Registration Act |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1677723/fwd-marcos-jr-signs-into-law-sim-card-registration-act |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}</ref>  CPU condemned the enactment of the [[SIM Registration Act]], saying that the law risks our right to privacy and data protection.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vital |first=Emily |date=2022-10-10 |title=IT professionals, activists condemn signing of SIM registration bill into law |url=https://www.bulatlat.com/2022/10/10/it-professionals-activists-condemn-signing-of-sim-registration-bill-into-law/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=Bulatlat |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Organization tenets==
{{unreferenced section|date=September 2013}}
In advancing CPU's advocacy, these are their principles:

*Free Information: CPU believes that information in all forms is the collective knowledge and experience of humankind. It believes that no one owns information; therefore, anyone can use and develop it for the benefit of mankind and development of society.
*Privacy of Information: Computers and telecommunications networks have brought consumers many conveniences. But, the organization alleges, advanced technologies pose serious threats to privacy. CPU believes that information about us, our families, where we live, where we work, people we call, sites we surf, stores we shop in, etc., should be kept private.
*Open Source: CPU fully supports the [[Open-source software|open source]] initiative. One of the group's aims is to convince fellow technology practitioners and the government to abandon the use of software by companies such as [[Microsoft]] and [[Oracle Corporation]].
*Right to organize: CPU members believe that as workers, they have the right to form [[labor union]]s and associations that will collectively fight for workers' rights and welfare.
*Use of Appropriate Technology: CPU believes that technology alone cannot solve political and social problems. It aims to dispel myths about the infallibility of technological systems and neutrality of science and technology.

==See also==
*[[Foundation for Media Alternatives]]

[[File:PandayanSaDaluyan6.JPG|thumb|Pandayan sa Daluyan, an event organized by CPU in May 2012 at [[Iligan City]] in [[Mindanao]]]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|name=Computer Professionals' Union}}

[[Category:Information technology organizations based in Asia]]
[[Category:Professional associations based in the Philippines]]
[[Category:Information technology in the Philippines]]