The IT Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Board of Investments (BOI) signed a five-year development program outlining specific activities to spur the local IT-business process management industry (IT-BPM).
The “Statement of Commitment to Implement a Five-Year National Development Program for the IT-BPM Industry” was signed at the first ITBPM Talent Summit on Wednesday, April 26, in Makati.
The statement of commitment was signed alongside other government agencies: the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).
Anchored on the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, the Statement of Commitment outlines specific activities under four key areas of focus: Talent Development Through Upskilling and Reskilling of Potential and Existing Workforce, Marketing and Promotion, Talent Hub, and Policy and Regulatory Support. It also designates which of the involved parties is responsible for certain initiatives and programs to ensure that goals are met within the set timeline.
In support of the Statement of Commitment,DTI Secretary Fred Pascual said that "Strengthening the country's IT-BPM sector requires a multi-stakeholder partnership—government, academe, and the industry. The signing of the Statement of Commitment serves as a testament to the Philippine government's unwavering support and dedication to the growth and expansion of the IT-BPM industry."
"With the concerted efforts of all of us here and other stakeholders, we can develop a skilled, globally competitive workforce that will propel our IT-BPM industry to greater heights," he added.
The Philippine IT-BPM Industry Roadmap 2028, which was launched last year, set a very lofty ambition for the sector—that of becoming the world’s number one experience hub for digitally-enabled and customer-centric services, while driving inclusive and sustainable economic and social growth for the country.
The roadmap has targetted the local industry to become a $59 billion sector, with 2.5 million full-time employees (FTES) and an 8.9 percent contribution to the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) by 2028.
“Our goal to create 1.1 million jobs is not going to be easy and it will necessitate the coordinated efforts of a multi-stakeholder coalition across the next six years,” said Jack Madrid, IBPAP President and CEO.
“This is non-negotiable. We can’t delay any longer on getting a scalable, strategic, and sustainable talent attraction and development program off the ground if we want to see and feel its positive impact on the sector and the competitiveness and employability of Filipinos by 2028.”
To help address the talent crisis, the DTI and IBPAP jointly organized the IT-BPM Talent Summit, which gathered around 250 people from the sector, government, and academe.
The program featured panel discussions on “Emerging Skills & Jobs in the IT-BPM Industry”, “Reforms in Education”, and “National Talent Upskilling”; plenaries on “Future-proofing Digital Talent Needs for Economic Growth” and “Sharpening Focus on Skills Development for the Philippines”; messages of support from agency heads; the launch of the “Youth Can Make It Happen Campaign”; and presentations by IBPAP’s partner associations.
The summit aims to convene and mobilize the sector, government, and academe to help the Philippine IT-BPM industry leap ahead on its agenda on national upskilling, educational reforms, and career advocacy, among others.