By Shah Balaw-ing

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Baguio City – The information technology and business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry is to bring opportunities to countryside Filipinos, saidDeputy Executive Director Monchito B. Ibrahim of the Department of Science and Technology – Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO) during the Next Wave Cities ICT Road show last October 16-17, 2013.

The DOST-ICTO and major stakeholders of the industry identified ten next wave cities to host IT-BPO companies which included Baguio City. The Next Wave Cities ICT Road show is intended to help the ten cities ready for the expansion of IT-BPO companies.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) recognizes the significance of the IT-BPO industry and encourages its continued existence in the region. However, it also recognizes that there is a need to improve the IT-BPO industry in CAR considering its role in boosting the economy.

The region shall target inventory and mapping of the existing IT-BPO sites for promotion. Space requirements and support facilities will also be worked out as the IT-BPO industry generates massive employment.

“We would like to bring jobs to the people, not bring people to Manila or Cebu.” Ibrahim said.

With the IT-BPO expanding to other cities, people need no go to Manila for employment. People can even work at home.

According to Executive Director for External Affairs Ms. Genny Marcial of the Information Technology and Business Processing Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), the IT-BPO industry has already generated 777 thousand jobs nationwide as of end of 2012.

By the end of 2016, the IT – BPO is expected to continually boom with the industry targeting to directly employ 1.3 million Filipinos.