Weekly BPO News: May 31- June 1, 2017

May 31 – According to Jason Lim, Country Manager, Philippines, Vertiv (formerly Emerson Network Power), economists have projected that the country’s business process outsourcing (BPO) sector will bring in revenues of up to USD24bn by the end of the year.

 

Reports indicate that there are about a hundred international firms in talks with Philippine BPOs as they look to outsource their services, not just in Metro Manila, but also in tier 2 and tier 3 cities such as Cebu, Davao and Iloilo, where new opportunities are emerging.

 

May 30 – In recognition of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry’s vital role in the economy, the Philippine government’s Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is pushing for stronger cybersecurity among critical ‘infostructures’ in the country. DICT Assistant Secretary Allan Cabanlong, responsible for cybersecurity and enabling technologies at the department, has said that a cyber attack is currently one of the greatest problems for any business, and the ensuing disruption it causes could lead to industry operation shutdown.

He also pointed out that poor cybersecurity in the BPO industry may result in customers and investors withdrawing altogether from the Philippines, resulting in unemployment for millions of local BPO workers.

 

 

 

 

June 1 – Healthcare business process outsourcing firm PMAXGlobal has recently opened its first office in the Philippines, located on the third floor of Robinsons Galleria Cebu. The global player in the healthcare BPO sector is currently employing about a hundred staff and is expected to add 500 more by the end of the year.

 

PMAX Global vice president for global strategy Michael Johnson disclosed that they decided to open in Cebu because of the availability of a well-educated and well-trained workforce as well as the availability of the right infrastructure that will support their planned growth. Johnson said they are looking for medical professionals who have clinical exposures including nurses for their medical coding services.

June 2 – The IT-Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) is expected to come out with a new position paper by next week that would take into account inputs from other industry associations such as the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) and the Philippine Software Industry Association.

 

The first set of measures proposed by the Department of Finance-sponsored tax reform program includes the removal of value added tax (VAT) exemption on BPO sales and imports. Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) president Jojo Uligan has said that the planned rationalization of fiscal incentives has caused jitters to run through the CCAP member companies.

 

 

 

June 2 – A bill that seeks to provide free public WiFi in the Philippines is expected to also promote freelancing and outsourcing in the country. Senator Ralph Recto, author of the bill, said that the free public WiFi bill will also require that broadband services are faster and more efficient, making the country more attractive to outsourcing investors.

 

Recto said the bill does not only mandate the installation of free Internet access in public places and offices nationwide, but also requires Internet access to be fast with a 2-Mbps speed. Recto said that the bill will also promote fairer competition and will bar unfair business practices.