Makati City
09 October 2012
President Benigno S. Aquino III addressed the foreign and local participants of the three-day International Outsourcing Summit with the theme “Global Market Leaders Addressing Global Issues” in Shangri La Hotel, Makati City.
In his speech, the President discussed the so-called “virtuous cycle of inclusive growth” stating that jobs created by the IT-BPO industry had a multiplier effect in developing the economy. “Every person you hire buys from convenience stores, becomes regular customers of coffee shops, pays their rent, rides public transportation. In short, their employment empowers them as consumers, and the money they spend positively affects several other industries, which can hire even more people,” he said.
In return to the benefits brought by the IT-BPO industry, President Aquino stated some of the undertakings that the government implements to assist the industry in its growth and expansion. One of these is the Industry-based Training for Work Scholarship Program (ITWSP) under TESDA where potential contact centre agents are skill-trained and later supplied for employment to BPO companies. Another program is the implementation of BPAP’s proposal to offer a 21-unit BPO specialization course to IT students in the tertiary level. He also mentioned that his administration optimizes infrastructure development that enhances the broadband and network services of telecommunications company in the country.
The President also reported that in 2011, the BPO industry revenue reached 11 billion dollars in which 113,000 jobs were created. He also said that the country is the number one contact centre industry in the world surpassing India since 2010. He also claimed that according to a study published in April this year, the Philippines set a record of being the world’s best country in business English.
He stated, “…the Filipino has proven that he can compete with the best. The world has begun to see this, and I invite your companies to ride the wave of optimism and bet even more on the skill of the Filipino.”
The President was joined by Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo and Technical Education Skills and Development Authority Director General Joel Villanueva and BPAP Chairman Alfredo Ayala.
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