Philippines has potential to be global BPO capital – CBRE

MANILA, Philippines - At a recent press conference detailing its latest industry report on the second quarter of 2015, real estate and property consultancy CBRE Philippines underscored the immense growth of the national economy in large part to the business process outsourcing (BPO) phenomenon in the past decade.

“We are where India was 10 years ago, and the best is yet to come,” stated CBRE Philippines founder, chairman and chief executive Rick Santos. 

The company’s report cited Tholons’ list of Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations, with latest figures placing Manila on the second spot, surpassing Mumbai, India. The Philippine cities of Bacolod, Baguio, and Iloilo also rose a few notches to number 86, 95, and 91, respectively. Davao and Santa Rosa, Laguna maintained its rankings at 69 and 82, rounding up a total of eight Philippine cities in the top 100 list.

Santos made the statement in light of his company marking two decades of operations in the country this year. “Since we started 20 years ago, the Philippines is now at its peak. We can be considered the call center capital of the world, and this speaks volumes of our success story as a nation,” he explained.

According to Santos, the world has set its sights on the “bright spot of Asia.” With a market of 1.3 million jobs by 2016 and an annual growth of 17 percent, the BPO industry remains the backbone of the Philippine economy. 

Of all sectors, the BPO industry tops the list for size and growth trajectory, providing employment opportunities and encouraging foreign investments into the country. More growth is expected outside of Metro Manila as well, as BPO companies are increasingly looking to set up shop in what CBRE dubs as “next wave cities.” 

“We are optimistic on the movement of the real estate market, as more investors are flocking in to take part in the opportunities outside the major CBDs like Clark, Iloilo, Davao, and Cebu. The playing field is much more exciting now with the creation of developer and investor-driven CBDs and the strong momentum of the BPO sector in the coming years,” stated Santos. 

 The BPO industry was not always the hot market it is today, according to Santos. The first contact center in the Philippines was set up by the Accenture Group in 1992, but it was not until 1995 that the Philippine Congress passed the Special Economic Zone Act, which eased restrictions in terms of lowering area requirements for developments and offering tax incentives to lure investors. 

Since 2004, revenue has grown from $1.55 billion in 2004 to $15.5 billion in 2013, with employment ballooning from 101,000 to 900,000 Filipinos.

The Philippines registers high take-up rates compared to markets like India, Hong Kong and Jakarta, and consistently presents the lowest office rental rates in the region. 

On the economic front, the country maintains its resiliency to China’s slowdown as the yuan devaluation spells a huge win for the BPO industry. The highly anticipated APEC business forum in November will also gather global leaders and once again put the Philippines in the global spotlight. 

“With Asean expected to grow by $2.78 trillion in 2017, the integration will only ramp up activity and interest in BPOs. There is a wealth of opportunity for the Philippines to establish its seat with the top economies given the growing middle class, robust domestic consumption, rising retail activity, and sustained growth in manufacturing,” said Santos.