Carlo Carrasco, On February 23, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – Recently the Philippines achieved another milestone in international business process outsourcing (BPO) as it surpassed India with an established work force of 350,000 call center agents in 2011.

Already a lively haven of call centers catering to countless customers and clients, the figure (16.7% higher than India’s) makes the Philippines the leading BPO provider in the world-based on data revealed by Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Undersecretary Rene Limcaoco. The call center agent work force clearly composes majority of the 500,000 Filipinos working in all types of BPO operations.

Limcaoco stated that as long the nation’s BPO industry keeps growing, export revenues could top $11 billion by mid-2016. For 2011, the industry generated $9 billion which is equivalent to around 5% of the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP).


Social Impact

With the influx of call centers as well as other BPO-related operations in the country, job opportunities from the sector continue to be offered in high numbers complete with very competitive salaries and attractive benefits.

As seen through the last decade, the round-the-clock operations of BPO firms have gradually impacted local society and businesses in positive ways such as increased consumer traffic in commercial joints (e.g. convenience stores, restaurants) stronger demand for rentals of office spaces, more people being able to buy high-end gadgets like tablets and smartphones, higher tax revenues collected by the local authorities, etc.


A Very Promising Future

With a stable BPO industry of its own as well as a large number of Filipino workers who are fluent in English, the Philippines continues to attract big investments from abroad. Recently European Union (EU) Ambassador to the Philippines Guy Ledoux announced that European firms already engaging with the local BPO industry are expected to expand their operations very soon. Ledoux also stated that European companies currently represent 10% of all BPO companies operating in the nation.

On another development, the British-Philippines Outsourcing Council (BPOC) expressed to Philippine Ambassador Enrique Manalo that it will promote the Philippines as an important investment destination. It was revealed from their recent meeting that outsourcing to the Philippines is key to being able to compete globally and that several jobs in Britain are created out of every job created in the Philippines.