There is a need to strengthen Negros Occidental's workforce to meet the demands of the fast growing Philippine information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry, which annual income is expected to overtake remittances of overseas Filipino workers by 2017.

This was stressed by Jose Mari Mercado, IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) president, who spoke yesterday at the Negros Occidental ICT Talent and Development Expo at The District, Ayala North Point, in Talisay City.

Mercado and Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. stressed the need to prepare the local workforce for the demands of the industry that is growing at 15 to 18 percent.

The Philippines is the number one destination for voice services in the world and number two in other outsourcing services, Mercado said.

Mercado said the IT-BPM industry will need about 150,000 workers this year and 150,000 more next year.

He told students and teachers who joined yesterday's expo to focus on building their competency in the IT-BPM industry where jobs are waiting for them.

The biggest challenge is for Negros Occidental to have enough graduates to support the growth of the industry, Mercado said.

Marañon said he sees the IT-BPM industry as vehicle to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor.

That is why it is important that local schools gear their curriculum to the industry that has ready jobs waiting for their graduates, he said, pointing out that many IT-BPM firms are locating to the province.

In fact, by the end of the year, the Negros First CyberCentre in Bacolod is expected to be fully occupied, and there are suggestions that work be started on phase 2 of the facility, he said.

The governor noted that 65 percent of the country's population are below 35 years old.

The IT-BPM sector had more than one million employees and generated US$18.9 billion in 2014, Mercado said.

In 2015, the number of employees are expected to hit 1.23 million and industry revenue is expected to hit US$P21.8 billion, he added.

OFW remittances last year was at US$25 billion, with an annual growth of 6 percent, he said.

The IT-BPM industry, on the other hand, grows at 15 to 18 percent so its overtaking the OFW annual remittances to the country in 2017 is possible, he said.

The IT-BPM annual earnings in 2016 is expected to be $25 billion and $29.9 billion in 2017, he added.

Jonathan Defensor De Luzuriaga, president of the Philippine Software Industry Association, also spoke at the expo on opportunities in innovation and technology.*CPG

back to top