RP again world's best BPO destination

By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) Updated November 01, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has won as the world’s best business process outsourcing (BPO) destination for the second time.

The Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) announced that the Philippines won the 2009 Offshoring Destination of the Year category at the 4th National Outsourcing Association (NOA) Awards held on Oct. 15 at Park Plaza Riverbank in London.

The Philippines bested Egypt, Malaysia, Russia and Sri Lanka among others. This is the second time that the country bagged the prestigious award, after winning it in 2007.

The NOA is the UK’s only outsourcing trade association. Advocating best practice, the NOA represents outsourcing end users, vendors and other companies which support outsourcing, such as legal firms, consultancies and human resources. It is also involved in research, events, education and public affairs. In the past four years, the NOA has set high standards in the recognition of outsourcing as a legitimate business practice.

The awards also give recognition to companies or people worldwide who exhibit excellence in the field of outsourcing।

“This is a most welcome and fitting recognition to our local outsourcing industry,” CICT Secretary Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III said. “The award just shows that our outsourcing sector is world-class and has the capacity to compete among the best. We give our heartfelt congratulations to everyone who has made this possible.”

The CICT is the lead government agency tasked to oversee the development of ICT in the Philippines, including ensuring the growth of the IT-BPO industry.

“Time and again, the Philippines has validated its status as a world BPO market leader. We at the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) will continue to give our efforts in making the industry achieve bigger and greater milestones,” said BPAP chief executive officer Oscar Sañez.

The Philippine BPO industry generated $6.1 billion in export revenues in 2008, employing close to 400,000 workers and making the Philippines the world’s second biggest BPO player next only to India.