The IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector is one of the best-performing and employment generating activities in the Philippines in recent years. The industry is greatly contributing to the country’s ICT development and digital economy.
According to the Information Technology and Business Processing Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), the sector saw an increase of 8.4 percent or 121,000 full-time employees (FTEs) in the Philippines in 2022, with 1.57 million in total headcount. The industry also saw a growth of 10.3 percent in revenues to reach a total of US$32.5 billion in 2022, surpassing the 2021 earnings of US$29.5 billion.
For 2023, the IBPAP forecasts that the IT-BPM industry can generate 1.7 million FTEs and US$35.9 billion in revenues.
Moreover, IBPAP president and CEO Jack Madrid said that their goal is to build the industry to a 2.5 million-strong workforce and generate US$59 billion in revenues for the country by 2028.
The Philippine government, through the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), has been supporting the sector’s growth through various initiatives, such as the IT-BPM Scaled Upskilling program, which conducts advanced training in priority areas identified by the IT-BPM subsectors; and the Philippine Skills Framework, where courses and training programs are aligned to the skills and competencies identified by the IT-BPM industries.
DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said that the department aims to increase the Philippines’ stance as the top investment destination for global services in the world. Through the “Leveraging the IT-BPM Industry and Fostering Local Talents” or LIFT program, the government will promote careers in the industry and showcase Filipino talent with the same objective of creating jobs and sustaining the country’s position as the leading provider of global outsourced services.
The department is also aggressive in its training and professional development initiatives for the workforce, the local government units, and the countryside, such as the DigitalJobsPH Program which aims to provide basic digital literacy and intermediate ICT skills training particularly in rural areas all over the country.
Moreover, the DICT, in collaboration with IBPAP and Leechiu Property Consultants, Inc. (LPC), has already commenced the Digital Cities 2025 Program, which aims to expand the IT-BPM sector and bridge industry progress in the countryside to strengthen local economies.
This program highlights the value of countryside development and the capability of key locations outside Metro Manila to become thriving business districts and viable investment hubs for IT-BPM services.
Through initiatives geared towards institutional development, marketing, talent development, research, and policy development, Secretary Uy is confident that IT-BPM locators can be successfully established in the Digital Cities and create more jobs for local talents, and the Philippines will sustain its position as a prime destination for IT-BPM services.