News

Next BPO Solutions Inc. Joins the Prestigious International Trade Council

Davao City, Philippines – Next BPO Solutions Inc., a Davao grown Business Process Outsourcing company, is excited to announce its new membership with the esteemed International Trade Council (ITC).

Next BPO Solutions win Most Innovative Company for Post-Covid Response (for MSME) during Innovation Summit 2022

After being selected as finalist in five (5) categories, Next BPO Solutions bagged the Most Innovative Company (Post- COVID Response) in the first ever Davao City IT-BPM Awards night last November 10-11 at Acacia Hotel, Davao City.

It’s Vacc2Normal for Next BPO Solutions

The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry has been one of the essential sectors severely impacted by the pandemic. Their workers have been dubbed as secrets front liners- working daily even with the threat of the virus. This is why the national government has put them in the A4 (essential workers) category in the vaccination rollout. With- the BPO Association of Davao, Inc (BPOADI) under the umbrella of ICT Davao, the IT-BPM sector of Davao City spearheaded the “Vacc2Normal” vaccination drive for the city’s 50,000-strong BPO workers

Damosa Land hopeful as signs of recovery seen

DAMOSA LAND, Inc. is expecting recovery this year after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused a slowdown across its property segments

Philippine GDP outlook dims with stricter lockdown

THE PHILIPPINE economy’s recovery will likely be derailed again after the capital region and its nearby provinces are once again placed under the strictest form of lockdown starting today, economists said

Microsoft wants PH to embrace technology tighter, faster

When the corornavirus pandemic struck early last year, life as most people knew it changed and many daily work activities ground to a halt

Most of 400,000 Sinovac doses reserved for 'NCR Plus', Cebu, Davao

The 400,000 Sinovac vaccine doses that arrived on Wednesday, March 24, will be reserved for Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Cebu City and Davao City, announced Malacañang on Friday, March 26

House passes bill creating Metro Davao Development Authority

THE House of Representatives approved on the third and final reading the bill creating the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA) on Thursday, March 25, 2021

Philippines can curb new COVID-19 cases in 3 months if...

A health expert on Thursday said the Philippines can reduce its daily COVID-19 cases, amid a worrying spike in new infections, if government ramps up its vaccination efforts "without rest for three months"

DICT wraps up cybersecurity training for CIIs

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Cybersecurity Bureau has successfully concluded its Cybersecurity Policy and Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training for Critical Information Infrastructures (CIIs) last March 23, 2021

AREIT identifies P15-B properties for share swap with ALI

AREIT, Inc. (AREIT), the first real estate investment trust (REIT) in the country, has identified 10 properties included in its PHP15 billion property-for-share swap transaction with its sponsor, Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI)

Coronavirus barriers break rise of foreign workers in Philippines

Foreigners permitted to work in the Philippines dropped for the first time in 11 years last year, but remained elevated as those employed in the controversial offshore gaming industry stayed despite some closures

Philippines under 'second wave' of COVID-19 - expert

The Philippines is facing a "second wave" of the COVID-19 pandemic, an expert said Wednesday, as the number of coronavirus infections is rising rapidly

Outsourcing Is Dead—Long Live Outsourcing

The world without outsourcing is hard to imagine today. Modern outsourcing has been a hot trend since the 1980s. The main purpose of outsourcing used to be the reduction of costs, concentration in core competence and achievement of better overall efficiency

GDP targets achievable if vaccine rollout ramps up in 2nd half, says NEDA

THE PHILIPPINE ECONOMY will achieve its growth target of 6.5-7.5% this year if the government ramps up its coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination drive in the second half, a National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) official said

Accenture Philippines to vaccinate employees for free, announces one-time bonus

Accenture Philippines on Tuesday announced a free COVID-19 vaccination program for all its employees in the country, along with a one-time bonus given the company's financial performance during the second quarter

ADB calls for skills training reform in Philippines

The Philippines should reform its technical and vocational education and training system to meet fast-changing industry needs, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Tuesday

PSEi to drop further as coronavirus cases surge

PHILIPPINE SHARES are expected to continue to decline this week amid the continuous spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections in the country, which has forced several businesses to halt operations again to curb the spread

Palace: All private firms now allowed to procure COVID-19 vaccines

All private firms can now procure COVID-19 vaccines, Malacañang said on Monday, despite limitations outlined by the World Health Organization

PH explores Latin countries for creative sector

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is exploring Latin American markets as new frontier for the Philippine films and televisions contents

4 PH firms express interest to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines

Four local pharmaceutical firms have expressed interest to go into manufacturing of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines, particularly on a fill-and-finish vaccine manufacturing arrangements, officials of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Saturday, March 20

Philippines inks deal for 20 million Moderna vaccine doses

The Philippine government and the private sector have sealed an agreement with Moderna, Inc. for 20 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine, according to the presidential palace, making it the country’s largest vaccine supply deal to date

4 PH firms express interest to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines

PSEi to drop further as coronavirus cases surge

PH explores Latin countries for creative sector

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is exploring Latin American markets as new frontier for the Philippine films and televisions contents

Gov't shirks duty, responsibility to its citizens—business groups

Business groups said the government has relinquished its moral responsibility to its citizens in the face of more stringent community quarantine restrictions as COVID-19 infections surged to a new record-high

Davao City starts pre-registration for Covid-19 vaccine

THE City Government of Davao has already started the pre-registration of Dabawenyos who want to be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccines

Prioritize inoculation of Metro Manila, Calabarzon residents amid surge: OCTA

Prioritizing inoculation in Metro Manila and nearby areas where there are rising cases of COVID-19 may help lower the virus infection rate, OCTA Research Group said Sunday

Duterte approves 2-week GCQ for M. Manila, nearby provinces with add'l restrictions

President Rodrigo Duterte is placing the National Capital Region and 4 of its neighboring provinces under general community quarantine (GCQ) beginning Monday until April 4, with additional measures, Malacanang said Sunday

PEZA approves P13 billion ecozone investments

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has approved the registration of 33 projects expected to pump over P13 billion worth of investments into the economy

Iloilo City mayor requires random testing for call centers

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has called for random testing of call center employees after 89 workers of a company here were found positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)

Technology Outsourcing in the Post-COVID-19 World

The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly elevated the adoption of digitalization and accelerated cloud migration in practically all industries. According to the Gartner 2020 Digital Workplace Survey, 68% of respondents said that CXOs across verticals have shown increased involvement in adopting digital workplaces since the pandemic outbreak

Empathetic Robots Are Killing Off the World’s Call-Center Industry

The coronavirus pandemic has been tough on the global call-center industry, and nowhere more than in the Philippines, the world leader in the field. Hundreds of thousands of employees in the former U.S. colony field queries from the other side of the planet, and for the past year many of them have had to work alone from home through the night, grappling with frequent electricity outages, isolation from friends, and the snores of parents, partners, siblings, or children crammed into tight quarters. What comes after Covid-19 is likely to be even worse

PEZA to build defense industrial economic zones before end of Duterte administration

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) intends to turn military reservation areas into defense industrial economic zones before the end of the current administration

Herd immunity in the Philippines might not be achieved until 2023 —Moody's Analytics

The Philippines is not likely to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 until 2023, which could slow the pace of its economic recovery, according to Moody’s Analytics

Dabawenyos at core of ‘Araw ng Dabaw’s’ 84th anniversary

Araw ng Dabaw is an annual month-long celebration held in March that puts Davao’s best foot forward as it features everything that makes the city unique and worth visiting

NTF: No foreigners, non-OFW Filipinos into the Philippines from March 20 to April 19

The National Task Force Against COVID-19 is restricting travel into the Philippines from March 20 to April 19 in response to rising COVID-19 cases in recent days

Reimagining outsourcing after Covid-19

Covid-19 has hastened the shift to digital for many businesses and highlighted the importance of technology and digital transformations to the evolution – forced or otherwise – of organisations across all sectors

ibex Continues Philippines Expansion with Completion of Second Site in Bohol

ibex (NASDAQ: IBEX), a leading global provider of CX technology & outsourcing solutions, today announced the opening of its second site in Bohol, Philippines, in the Plaza Marcela complex

Philippines to receive around 2.3 million COVID-19 vaccines by April: Galvez

The Philippines is set to receive around 2.3 million additional COVID-19 vaccine doses this month or early April, the country's vaccine czar said Monday, amid a spike in new cases

PEZA eyes potential sites away from 'danger zones' like Taal Volcano: official

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority is looking for potential ecozone sites that are "further away" from what are considered "danger zones" such as the Taal Volcano, its director general said Wednesday

DICT aims to boost BPO sector as job generator

High hopes are pinned on the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector to create new jobs under the new normal as the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) drives to help 25 areas in the country become full-fledged Digital Cities by 2025

5 Reasons Why a Virtual Workforce Could Be the Key to Enhanced Customer Experiences in 2021

Remote work had a coming of age in 2020. Albeit largely due to the force of COVID-19

DITO Telecommunity launches commercially in Visayas and Mindanao

In an unprecedented move, DITO Telecommunity Corporation, the country’s third major player in the telecommunications industry, heralded its entry into the market by announcing that it will be providing free call and text as well as broadband services to 3,000 frontliners in ten areas in Visayas and Mindanao with the help of the local government units (LGUs) as a way of strengthening its commitment of nation-building and partnership with the Filipino people

City eyes to vaccinate all private hospital workers March 14

THE Davao City Government targets to complete the inoculation of the 2,400 healthcare workers from private hospitals on Sunday, March 14, 2021

MDS Call Solutions Inc. partners with Globe Business for integrated cloud customer service

Business process outsourcing company, MDS Call Solutions, Inc. (MDSCSI) takes its voice and digital services up a notch with Globe. MDSCSI collaborated with Globe’s enterprise arm, Globe Business, to support its Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud migration and SMS Application Programming Interface (API) integration

IT-BPM spearheads property recovery, no POGOs

With the rolling out of COVID-19 vaccines, IT-business process management (IT-BPM) firms are now laying out plans for expansion in Metro Manila and the provinces, but online gaming firms continue to register no new transactions since last year, a property management and consultancy firm said

Philippines to continue AstraZeneca rollout

The Philippine government would continue to roll out AstraZeneca vaccines even after some European countries suspended its use due to some supposed health risks, according to the Department of Health (DoH)

Senate pass bill declaring Davao City as Chocolate Capital, Davao Region as Cacao Capital

With a vote of 22 affirmative, 0 negative and 1 abstention, the Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading the bill declaring Davao City as the Chocolate Capital and Davao Region as the Cacao Capital of the Philippines

Davao to continue COVID-19 monitoring as travel restrictions lifted

Travel restrictions such as the requirement for COVID-19 testing will be eased all over the country, as Davao City officials assure they will conduct clinical assessment of passengers and community testing to allay fears of the spread of the virus

Metro Manila cities impose curfew as COVID-19 cases rise

Local governments in Metro Manila are reintroducing curfew hours to curb the increase of COVID-19 cases

Filipino-Israeli firm to invest over P1B for Covid vaccine

A Filipino-Israeli pharmaceutical company looks to invest more than P1 billion to produce a Covid-19 oral vaccine in the country, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said on Thursday

‘Jablessness’ breeds joblessness: Senators urge ‘mass inoculation’ to get people back to work

Some senators pressed the government for a quicker rollout of its vaccination program to stimulate the economy and bring back employment

Philippines warns foreigners vs using fraudulent entry exemption documents

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday reiterated its warning against any fraudulent means related to the entry of foreign nationals to the Philippines

Philippines to vaccinate 250,000 daily when most COVID-19 shots arrive

To meet its target of inoculating at least half of population this year, the government is targeting to immunize at least 250,000 individuals against COVID-19 every day as soon as its vaccine orders arrive in the third quarter

DOLE to prioritize 4 industries in safety, health inspections

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday identified four priority sectors for its safety and health inspections this year amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic

Palace: Philippines can't afford another lockdown

Despite the recent spikes in COVID-19 infections, the Philippines cannot afford another wide-reaching lockdown because many people are experiencing hunger but safety measures should be strictly followed to prevent the overwhelming of the country's health system, Malacañang said Monday

Safe Davao QR to be integrated into national vaccination management system

THE Davao City Government is working on integrating the Safe Davao QR (DQR) code into the national online system to monitor patients who have been administered with a Covid-19 vaccine

AstraZeneca vaccines arrive in Davao

DAVAO CITY - Davao Region on Wednesday received 20,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, boosting its plan to halt the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected over 600,000 Filipinos

Davao as choco, cacao capital

With 22 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and one abstention, the Senate approved on third and final reading the bill declaring Davao City as the Chocolate Capital and Davao as the Cacao Capital of the Philippines

Philippines best workplace

Great Place to Work® (GPTW), the global authority on workplace culture and the people behind the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For™ list since 1998, announces the Philippines’ Best Workplaces for 2021

Animation studios ‘aggressively’ hiring workers in Philippines

ANIMATION outsourcing studios in the Philippines are experiencing a worker shortfall as demand for their services surged during the pandemic, an industry group said

Indian ambassador links up with PEZA, bares high hopes for PH economy

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has strengthened its partnership with India in attracting more investors to the Philippines as part of its efforts to revive the country’s economy

82 pct of PH firms to increase pay this year, study claims

MANILA - Eight out of 10 companies in the Philippines are projected to increase salaries this year despite the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, an insurance and advisory firm said Monday

Most Philippine employers say they plan to raise salaries this year

EMPLOYERS in the Philippines expect to raise salaries by an average of 5.6% this year — the slowest pace in over a decade — as companies remain cautiously optimistic amid the coronavirus crisis, global advisory company Willis Towers Watson (WTW) said in a report

Covid-19 cases increase in BPO firms alarms Baguio

The city government and business process outsourcing (BPO) companies here have agreed to adopt measures to address a current surge in Covid-19 cases in some of the call center firms

Philippines aims to finish health workers’ vaccination in May, start on other sectors in April

The Philippine government targets to finish vaccinating healthcare workers against COVID-19 in May and expand the program to other sectors by April, an official said Sunday

Salceda: CREATE bill will help PH boost innovation

House Ways and Means Chair Joey Sarte Salceda on Saturday said the passage of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, which now sits at the table of President Rodrigo Duterte, would help the Philippines recover from its slumping innovation performance

DOLE to issue advisory vs. 'no vax, no work' policy

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Saturday announced that they will issue an advisory on the issue of vaccination in workplaces early next week

The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing and Remote Working

How have you been approaching the changing work arena the world faces? There’s no ignoring it: 2020 with its pandemic has adjusted how people have to set up work environments. And luckily, it’s not all bad news

Oakridge Business Park offers ‘new normal’ workspaces

TO ADDRESS the rapidly changing needs of locators across different industries, property developers pivot and adapt, foremost by implementing heightened safety protocols and ensuring enhanced health and sanitation measures in the new normal

Salceda: CREATE bill will help PH boost innovation

Philippines slips in economic freedom ranking

THE PHILIPPINES slid three spots to 73rd out of 178 economies in a global ranking on economic freedom by The Heritage Foundation, which took note of the government’s continued failure to address corruption and to ease trade restrictions

February outsourcing operation inquiries rise

INTEREST in establishing outsourced operations in the Philippines grew by nearly a third in February, driven by overseas companies looking for ways to operate more efficiently during the pandemic, advisory group Outsource Accelerator said

1M Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine doses to be delivered ‘March 21 onwards’ – Galvez

The Philippines can expect to receive one million more doses of China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine towards the end of March, appointed vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Thursday

More than 9,000 vaccinated vs COVID-19 in Philippines so far: official

More than 9,000 people in the Philippines have been vaccinated so far against the novel coronavirus, a senior Malacañang official said on Thursday

21,600 doses more of Sinovac vaccines arrive in Davao

Thirty-six boxes more of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccines developed by Sinovac of China arrived at the Davao International Airport on Thursday morning, or a day before the start of the official roll-out of the vaccination program in the city

Many of 118 new COVID-19 cases in Baguio traced to call centers

Employees of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, or call centers, have been isolated this week due to a possible coronavirus outbreak after workplace tests confirmed that many of the 118 infection cases recorded in Baguio on Wednesday (Mar. 3) came from these facilities

BoI-approved pledges rise to P122B

INVESTMENT PLEDGES approved by the Board of Investments (BoI) surged by 156% in the first two months, despite a drop in commitments from foreign investors as the pandemic continued

Local firm eyes PH vaccine plant

A Filipino pharmaceutical firm plans to build the country’s first vaccine plant to manufacture coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine

No vaccination, no work policy opposed

Organized labor groups yesterday opposed the reported efforts of some companies to adopt a “no vaccination, no work” policy

PEZA, AFP partner to build defense industrial ecozones

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has assured the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) its full support to its plans and programs particularly for establishing a defense industrial ecozone in military reserves

Philippines to start vaccine campaign amid uncertainty

The Duterte government starts its vaccination drive as vaccine hesitancy increases, experts warn of an uptick in cases, and vaccine supplies remain uncertain

Securing the digital space amid the new normal

THE RAPID growth in digital transactions has often been cited as the silver lining for economies currently constricted by lockdown restrictions due to the pandemic. Even so, this increase has also exposed businesses and households to an increased threat of cyberattacks

Local travel rules eased but Metro Manila, 9 other areas still under GCQ

As the country marks one year of quarantine restrictions in March, Metro Manila and nine other areas will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) amid the continuing threat of the coronavirus pandemic and a spike in new reported cases

Ecozone investments surge 139% in January

Investments approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) surged 139 percent in January from a year ago

IT-BPM facility unveiled in Sagay City

THE City Government of Sagay and Virtual Workforce Professionals (VWP), a Filipino-owned digital jobs aggregator, have launched an information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) facility in the northern Negros Occidental locality Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Aliens with special visas need to get travel pass before leaving PH

ALL departing foreigners who were issued visas by the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Board of Investments (BoI), the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), and economic zones are now required to present a travel pass upon departure, starting March 1, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI)

400K more tourism workers to benefit from aid program: DOLE

An additional 400,000 workers from the tourism sector are set to benefit from the Covid-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

7.5K Health Workers To Get First Covid Shots In Davao City

At least 7,500 health care workers in the city are set to receive the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccines allocated by the national government during the initial nationwide rollout

Philippines facing oversupply in IT graduates, STEM shortage

THE PHILIPPINES is facing an oversupply in information technology (IT) graduates in 2025, but needs more students to go into the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, a government think tank said

PHL underperforms in innovation adoption

MOST developing economies in East Asia, including the Philippines, have underperformed in terms of adopting new technologies and discovering new ones due to limited information, weak capacity of companies, poor employee skills and lack of government support, the World Bank said

Economist eyes BOP position recovery

Structural inflows such as remittances and revenues of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector are expected to continue to fuel the Philippines’ balance of payment (BOP) position despite posting a deficit last month

Cebu business sector willing to police self to help reduce COVID cases

The Cebu business sector is willing to police themselves in order to help reduce the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the city

BPOs cite benefits of remote work

The information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) has noted benefits from work-from-home (WFH) and remote work arrangements on the industry and is pushing for a long-term plan on these schemes especially for companies registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority

INVESTMENTS Foreign investment pledges fell 71% in 2020

Amid the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic which caused business uncertainty and a recession, foreign investors’ commitments to set up shop in the Philippines fell 71 percent to P112.1 billion in 2020

IKEA Philippines sets to hire 500 residents in Pasay City

The Swedish furniture-maker Ikea will be hiring at least 500 residents of Pasay City once it starts operations later this year. This was announced by Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto Rubiano after officials of Ikea paid a courtesy call to her office on Monday

DOE requires ‘tighter’ energy efficiency compliance

Through the mandated appointment of energy efficiency and conservation (EE&C) practitioners, the Department of Energy (DOE) will be enforcing stricter compliance to the prescriptions of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Act or Republic Act 11285, primarily across energy-intensive industries and establishments

WHO sees COVID-19 upsurge if Philippines eases restrictions

As the government has yet to roll out a vaccination program, easing of quarantine restrictions – as proposed by economic planners – can result in a major spike in COVID-19 cases in the country, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)

Yamaha expands motorcycle plant which adds 1,300 jobs

Japanese motorcycle giant Yamaha Motor has expanded its Philippine motorcycle manufacturing operation with P2.691 billion investments and hiring of additional 1,300 jobs for its plant in Batangas

PH employment state seen to recover in next admin

The Philippines will have a new president by the time it gets back its pre-pandemic employment status

India, Philippines hold business conference on infrastructure cooperation

Over 200 representatives of Indian and Filipino companies attended the business conference on India-Philippines Infrastructure Cooperation organized by the Embassy of India in Manila, in cooperation with the Confederation of Industry (CII) and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)

BSP prepares for post-pandemic economy

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has started its comprehensive review and assessment of when to reduce or scale back the size of liquidity and COVID-19 relief measures to avoid financial distress post-pandemic

Delivery eats: BPO manager teams up with his 'yaya' to start food business

Every offspring will always get something inherent from his parents. In the case of business executive and budding entrepreneur Eric Capacia, his culinary skills were handed down by his old folks

40K repatriated OFWs undergoing BPO firms' assessment

An official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has reported that the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry continues its hiring process for displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are now in the country

Malacañang expects Philippines to shift to MGCQ by March

Malacañang already expects that the Philippines would be placed under modified general community quarantine by March, even as President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to decide on whether to accept recommendations to put the entire country under the laxest quarantine regime

Pandemic derails gains made by PHL creative industry

THE GROWTH of the creative economy was stunted during the pandemic as entertainment industry operations either stopped or slowed down, the Department of Trade and Industry said

Digital transformation in PHL after a year of COVID-19

It has been a year of COVID-19. Last year there was a lot of talk about the need for Philippine companies to adapt to the new normal by pursuing digital transformation strategies and pivot their business models

PEZA seeks credit line for ecozone companies

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said it will seek partnerships with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as well as local and foreign banks in creating credit facilities for ecozone developments

Pfizer, Sinovac deliveries to PH face more delays

The delivery of Pfizer and Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines to the country, scheduled for this month, is facing more delays

5 Tasks Start-up Businesses Should Be Outsourcing

Entrepreneurs tend to act as one-person operations for a significant amount of time. This means that they end up taking on lots of responsibilities that they are not experienced in, and it can be a steep learning curve. While this might appear to be a good strategy to reduce costs, in the long run, this can prevent a start-up business from growing

500,000 priority individuals for COVID vaccination identified in Davao City

The City of Davao will need to vaccinate a total of 531,673 individuals who comprise the local government’s priority sector in its coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination program, Davao City Health Office (CHO) acting head Dr. Ashley Lopez said on Tuesday

IBM Philippines enters into public-private partnerships to advance IT education efforts

IBM Philippines (IBM) announced its partnerships with Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), Department of Education-National Capital Region (DepEd-NCR), Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP), and Project Inclusion Network (PIN) to further IBM’s global education efforts to help close the digital skills gap and enhance socio-economic development

Dell study reveal long term remote work findings; Boomi on fundraising;

Dell Technologies recently released new research revealing the readiness of employees in Asia-Pacific & Japan (APJ) for long-term remote work. In the inaugural Remote Work Readiness (RWR) Index, it was found that more than eight in 10 (81 percent) surveyed employees in APJ feel that they are prepared for long-term remote work but express concerns such as blurring boundaries between work and personal lives

Bill to give freelance workers legal protection — Salceda

Freelancers will soon be given the chance to settle tax liabilities to be able to begin anew with better legal protections under the substitute bill of the proposed Freelancers Protection Act, whose tax provisions were approved by a committee of the House of Representatives

Nationwide quarantine easing pushed to speed up economic recovery

The government’s chief economist on Tuesday said placing the entire country under less stringent modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) starting next month would allow faster economic recovery for countries like the Philippines that had been through the strictest COVID-19 lockdowns

PH foreign reserves seen to rise after slower growth in January

A pick-up of the country’s foreign reserves is expected this year despite a slower growth last January as the economy reopens and economic activity improves

PEZA wants to convert Mindanao’s idle public lands into ecozones

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) aims to have more special economic zones in Mindanao by converting idle public lands in the southern part of the country

BPOs seen hiring up to 100,000 this year; work-from-home also here to stay

The business process outsourcing industry will hire between 80,000 to 100,000 employees this year, sustaining the sector's yearly recruitment numbers, an industry group said on Monday

Capital Economics: PH to become world’s 18th biggest economy in 2050

The Philippines is poised to become the world’s 18th biggest economy by 2050 as long as it addresses its infrastructure lack, long-term projections by London-based macroeconomic research organization Capital Economics showed

BPOs seen hiring up to 100,000 this year; work-from-home also here to stay

The business process outsourcing industry will hire between 80,000 to 100,000 employees this year, sustaining the sector's yearly recruitment numbers, an industry group said on Monday

Hong Kong toy makers interested in Philippines

Hong Kong toy manufacturers are considering investing in the Philippines, according to the Board of Investments (BOI)

DOLE: 133,315 workers displaced in January

The number of displaced workers surged in January, as more establishments adopted flexible work arrangements and temporary closures, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

PHILIPPINES – MAJORITY OF COMPANIES OPTIMISTIC IN 2021 AS THEY PLAN TO INCREASE OR MAINTAIN HEADCOUNT

Companies in the Philippines plan to either increase or maintain their headcounts this year suggesting a growing optimism, according to a study from Michael Page Philippines

Philippines may benefit from new globalization

THE PHILIPPINES could benefit substantially from the ongoing massive shift in global trade, with the services sector likely to see the most gains, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said

Short-term pullback by investors to hit PH BPO

A short-term pullback by investors is expected to hit the Philippine business process outsourcing (BPO) industry that could result in a nominal to flat growth this year, according to an industry expert

Philippines may remain under lockdown after vaccine rollout

MANY parts of the country would probably remain under a lockdown even after the government starts vaccinating Filipinos against the coronavirus, according to the presidential palace

Philippines sets 2023 target to finish COVID-19 vaccination rollout

The Philippines is aiming to complete its COVID-19 vaccination program by 2023, a health official said Wednesday, amid global competition of the highly sought-after coronavirus shots

CREATE seen to generate P200 B new investments, 2 million jobs

The Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act can bring in over P200 billion in new investments and generate as much as 2 million additional jobs, according to Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez

FDI pullback seen as investors pause

There will be a short-term pullback by investors in the Philippines as those planning to enter the country for the first time may pause and reassess their projects

1,000 new jobs as BPO company to open in Iloilo City

Despite the pandemic, at least a thousand new jobs will be available as a new business process outsourcing (BPO) company is set to open in Iloilo City

BPO firm to provide free Covid-19 vaccines to workers

A TOP official of Transcom said the business process outsourcing (BPO) firm will provide free vaccines against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) to its employees in the country including Bacolod City once these are available

Leading tea export conglomerate Ranfer enters BPO sector

Ranfer, an internationally renowned tea export conglomerate with a global sourcing and marketing reach, launched its latest business venture birthing LionPride as a business entity into the BPO servicing sector. The innovative concepts of the flagship LionPride services comprising of a team of high end and hands-on professionals in selected sectors will undertake a teamsmanship approach

Guide highlights outsourcing benefits of lateral flow test manufacturing

Abingdon Health takes projects from initial concept through to routine and large-scale manufacturing. The company offers a full suite of lateral flow services from development and manufacture through to smartphone reader customisation and regulatory support

COVID-19 vaccination of Philippine health workers to start Feb. 15

The Philippines targets to start coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations of frontline healthcare workers next Monday, February 15, as the government aims to inoculate the sector's 1.4 million individuals in a month

Italian businesses to expand in Asean, eyes PH as priority

THINGS are looking up in the Philippines this year as far as Italy is concerned

PH allows entry of more foreigners with valid visas starting Feb. 16

The Philippines has allowed more foreign nationals with valid visas to enter the country starting February 16, 2021, Malacañang announced Friday

TCS takes full control of all-women BPO center in Riyadh

TCS and GE jointly established an all-women business services centre in Riyadh back in 2013 – aimed at promoting workforce equity and localising the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. Per a new agreement, TCS will now take full ownership of the centre

Why Covid-19 should finally end the UK’s outsourcing mania

Correlation is not causation, but all these things are nonetheless true: Dido Harding has a degree from Oxford University in politics, philosophy and economics; Dido Harding is a Tory peer, married to a Tory MP; under Dido Harding's leadership, test and trace has been an utter disaster

OECD expects PH economy to grow just 5.9% this year

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) expects the Philippines to post a slower-than-targeted economic growth of 5.9 percent in 2021 following a record recession last year

Boeing to outsource IT work to Dell, eliminate 600 jobs

Boeing Co. has said it will outsource a significant amount of information technology work to Dell starting in April, including support of cloud services, databases and information technology. The move is expected to eliminate 600 jobs

OECD expects PH economy to grow just 5.9% this year

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) expects the Philippines to post a slower-than-targeted economic growth of 5.9 percent in 2021 following a record recession last year

In year of pandemic, Philippines slips one spot in global democracy index

Findings by a London-based think tank showed the Philippines down by a spot anew to become 55th in the world in its democracy index for 2020, a year for the country marred by a series of controversies at a time of a pandemic

Doom or boom faces the IT-BPM industry (part 2)

Last week, I wrote about the plight of the Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry and how chat robots and artificial intelligence have become serious threats. The Philippines stands to lose hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in revenues in the voice-based category if we do not pivot quickly

Neda chief says PHL can further ease mobility restrictions to restart economy

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) believes the Philippines can further ease mobility restrictions—with the cooperation of the rest of the populace—most probably by March and pave the way for an economic comeback this year

Six Bacolod BPOs in ‘hot water’

Six business process outsourcing (BPO) firms here were issued with notices of violation for failing to register their employees to the city government’s contact tracing system

Recovery in sight for PH real estate sector — Leechiu

The pandemic-stricken property sector is exhibiting ‘early signs’ of a rebound, a consulting firm said

Guv wary of coronavirus-positive BPO workers

NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has expressed concern over the 41 call center employees who tested positive for Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease (Covid-19)

More BPOs fail to implement contact tracing system

ASIDE from Transcom Bacolod, five more business process outsourcing (BPO) companies in the city have failed to implement the "Covid-19 Contact Tracing System Ordinance of Bacolod City," an official said

41 Bacolod BPO workers test positive for Covid-19

Business process outsourcing (BPO) firm Transcom suspended its operations here on Sunday night after 41 of its call center agents tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)

City welcomes CBCP offer to make churches as vaccination venue

THE Davao City Government is considering the offer of Catholic bishops in the country in including church facilities as one of the city's Covid-19 vaccination sites, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said on Monday, February 1, 2021

Digitalization, EAGA trade named Davao business chamber’s top priorities

DAVAO CITY’S business leaders are looking to regain the growth momentum lost last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, with digitalization and stronger trade ties in the sub-regional grouping known as the East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA) among the priorities

No extension of travel ban on ‘variant’ countries

The pandemic has affected 519,575 people in the country as of Thursday, based on data from the Department of Health. CAR covers the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Baguio, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province

20,592 workers in Davao region lost their jobs in 2020 – NEDA

At least 20,592 workers in the Davao region lost their jobs last year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the regional office of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) reported on Friday

Bataan freeport to attract emerging digital economies

The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) has taken steps to attract emerging digital economies through blockchain, distributed ledgers, and financial technology solutions

She’s the boss! PH is 5th among countries with highest number of female execs

The Philippines ranked fifth in countries with the highest number of women in a managerial role, according to studies

15 Biggest Outsourcing Companies in the World

Outsourcing was first discovered as a business strategy in the late 1980s and became a key component of business development in the 1990s. Outsourcing means contracting out business processes to third-party service providers usually to avoid certain costs such as labor and taxes

JAPAN – OUTSOURCING TO ACQUIRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONSTRUCTION FIRM ITEC

Outsourcing Inc. (2427:TYO), the third-largest staffing firm in Japan, announced that it that through its subsidiary Outsourcing Technology, it will acquire Itec Co

Economists eye positive PH economic growth this year

Economists expect 2021 will remain to be a challenging year for the Philippines after posting a 9.5-percent contraction last year, but they remain optimistic on a positive economic performance on the back of fiscal spending

4 Factors To Consider Before Outsourcing Business Services

When you’re running a business, you want to ensure that you’re functioning properly and being cost-effective at the same time. Nowadays, both big and small companies utilize outsourcing to help manage tasks and services while they focus on the business’s core marketing and decisive aspects

Why The Pandemic Led To An Increase In IT Outsourcing

Remember the good old days when people would book the nearest flight on a whim or casually pop into a restaurant without checking its dine-in policies? Today, last-minute plane trips and impromptu restaurant visits are long gone. They seem as surreal as crowded multistory corporate buildings, two-hour commutes or work in the office

BPOs, government among top recruiters in January 2021 - JobStreet

Business processing outsourcing (BPO) firms and the government topped the list of active hiring industries at the start of 2021, job portal JobStreet has revealed

Addressing the job market in 2021

It would be nearly a year since the lockdowns and other restrictive measures were imposed, tremendously impacting the way we work and conduct business in such a short time. The impact has been so profound and far-reaching that a business could be truly left behind if it doesn’t catch up quickly

PH GDP seen contracting by 9.6% in 2020, growing by 7.7% in 2021

The Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) likely fell the fastest in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) last year but its growth would be the strongest in the region this year as the economy emerges from pandemic-induced movement restrictions, UK-based Oxford Economics said

Weak post-pandemic growth a risk to job revival — IIF

WEAK GROWTH in the wake of the pandemic may not create jobs fast enough, potentially worsening inequality, according to the Institute of International Finance (IIF)

1.2M sqm space to be added in PH office market

Real estate consultancy firm Santos Knight Frank expects an additional 1.2 million square meters of leasable space in the office market this year

Global BPO brings jobs closer to job-seekers in the community

Sitel Group, a global leader in end-to-end customer experience (CX) products and solutions recently launched a brand new Sitel MAXhub in Balanga, Bataan bringing job opportunities to aspiring CX professionals in the community. The MAXhub, Sitel’s 11th in the Philippines, brings the experience closer to Filipino talents who may be too far from the company’s headquarters in Baguio and Tarlac. To date, the MAXhub has already hired 114 associates with recruitment ongoing

BPO Philippines in 2021 & Beyond

With its close cultural affinity to the West, exemplary English language skills and low-cost, high-skilled workforce, it’s no surprise that the Philippines has become the go-to destination for BPO

Call Centre Outsourcing UK

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on businesses in the UK

Manila’s appeal as property investment site declines

MANILA dropped two spots to 19th in a ranking of city investment prospects in the Asia-Pacific for 2021, a joint report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said

PHL only one in Southeast Asia to avoid shrinking FDI

THE Philippines was the lone economy in Southeast Asia to avoid a contraction in foreign direct investments (FDI) last year, as FDI inflows to the country went up 29 percent in spite of all the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic

BIR raises P7-B from POGOs in 2020

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) raised last year more than P7 billion from the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO). Last year’s collection follows the steadily rising pattern since 2018 when P2.3 billion were collected

Using Outsourcing To Close Skills Gaps Within Your Tech Team

Modern companies, especially service and product companies that rely heavily on software, face many challenges when it comes to hiring. Tech talent is scarce, and highly specialized talent is in demand

British firms await retail liberalization, Public Services Act to invest in PH

British firms are waiting for the passage of the Retail Trade Liberalization Act and Public Services Act as a signal to invest in the Philippines, a top official of the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP) said Monday

PH output back to pre-pandemic levels by 2022: economist

The Philippines’ pre-pandemic level expansion is seen to return by 2022, an economist said, noting that the government’s 2021 spending on infrastructure, among others, is key to economic recovery

DoF, analysts upbeat on Biden presidency

The Department of Finance (DoF) and local economists are optimistic that the leadership change in the United States on Wednesday (Washington time) would have a positive impact on the Philippine economy, especially on trade and remittances

PH output back to pre-pandemic levels by 2022: economist

The Philippines’ pre-pandemic level expansion is seen to return by 2022, an economist said, noting that the government’s 2021 spending on infrastructure, among others, is key to economic recovery

DoF, analysts upbeat on Biden presidency

PEZA targets over P100 billion investments

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is targeting investments to exceed P100 billion this year as it steps up efforts to attract investors

Coca-Cola unveils Manila hub

Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines, Inc. (CCBPI)—the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in the country—has unveiled its new distribution center in Manila, jumpstarting a series of bullish investments for 2021. The facility is part of CCBPI’s continuous expansion of its nationwide footprint, as the Company remains true to its longstanding commitment to support economic recovery and growth

Key Philippine sectors ready for automation: ADB

The Philippines’ two biggest dollar-earning export sectors have made inroads in trying to minimise the potential impact on jobs of the automation of goods and services production under a looming “fourth industrial revolution” (4IR), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Wednesday (Jan 20)

Davao City is PH chocolate, cacao production capital

The House of Representatives has declared Davao City the country’s chocolate and cacao production capital for putting the Philippines in the class of the world’s best and tastiest chocolate

BPO firm Teleperformance needs another 400-500 employees this year in Romania

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firm Teleperformance Romania plans to open another 400-500 new positions for foreign language speakers this year

Futureproofing The Outsourcing Strategy In A Post-COVID World

COVID-19 has created a unique business environment, with businesses shifting to remote working and using digital channels in a noticeably short span of time. In such a time, the flexibility and scalability achieved using outsourcing as a strategy have been aptly demonstrated

Intel under pressure to ramp up outsourcing to Asian chipmakers

Asia’s biggest chipmakers hope Intel on Thursday will confirm long-standing talks to give them a bigger role in making its flagship chip products, as the U.S. semiconductor titan struggles to keep pace with the cutting-edge offerings of its rivals

What Part Of Your Business Can You Outsource With Ease?

While the entire process of outsourcing might seem simple, setting up an effective and successful outsourced model is quite complex. Now, many companies follow a simple path toward outsourcing, which might not necessarily translate into a successful strategy. This is important to keep in mind, as outsourcing will only start showing results at least a year down the line in most cases

ADB sees job losses of 24% from BPO, electronics automation

THE PHILIPPINES needs to improve its technical and vocational education to offset the expected loss of 24% of the jobs in the business process outsourcing (BPO) and electronics manufacturing industries by 2030, due to increased automation, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said

JAPAN – OUTSOURCING ACQUIRES BLUE-COLLAR MANUFACTURING DISPATCHING FIRM S.S. SANGYO

Outsourcing Inc. (2427:TYO), the third-largest staffing firm in Japan, announced that it has acquired S.S. Sangyo Co. Ltd, a Japanese firm involved in the worker dispatch business, outsourced contracting business and paid job placements

Metro Manila office rents seen to drop by 30%

RENTAL RATES for offices in Metro Manila’s business districts are expected to drop by as much as 30% this year, due to continued quarantine restrictions and economic slowdown, the Lobien Realty Group (LRG) said

Palace sees Philippines-US security ties continuing under Biden

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang expects continuity in the relationship between the Philippines and its traditional ally, the United States, under President-elect Joseph Biden, who will assume office on Jan. 20

BOI, Peza set varying investment goals in ‘21

THE Board of Investments (BOI) is eyeing to secure P1.2 trillion worth of investment pledges this year, while the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) is just looking to claw its way back to the P100-billion mark, in a display of the polarizing impact of the new tax law now on its final stage of bicameral deliberations in Congress

These are the fastest growing jobs in Southeast Asia, according to LinkedIn

Careers in health care, education and digital services are set to be among the fastest-growing in Southeast Asia this year, according to a new report released Tuesday

Philippines, China vow cooperation for post-pandemic recovery

China promised on Saturday to donate 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Philippines as the two countries signed infrastructure deals aimed at boosting post-pandemic recovery efforts, officials said

Philippines Inc. renews call for passage of CREATE

Businessmen on Friday renewed their call for the passage of the Duterte administration's revised corporate tax reform, saying the measure would serve as companies' main fix to the destruction of the coronavirus pandemic

Ecozone investments decline 19% in 2020

MANILA, Philippines — Investments for projects approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) went down by nearly a fifth last year amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic

Duterte: National recovery 'within sight' as Philippines secures COVID-19 shots

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte said national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is "within sight" as the Philippines secures vaccine jabs against the respiratory disease that has led to nearly a year-long lockdown and economic recession

Infosys revenue grows 12%, adds 8,762 software employees in Dec quarter

Infosys has reported revenue of Rs 25,927 crore (+12.3 percent) and operating profit of Rs 6,589 crore (+30.1 percent) for the third quarter ended December 31, 2020

European IT outsourcing spend up in 2020 after cloud boost

Organisations in Europe spent over $20bn (£16.4bn) on IT and business process outsourcing in 2020. Boosted by increased cloud take-up, this was a 7% increase on the previous year

Delonix Cebu City Philippines BPO Outsourcing Office Announced

Delonix announced opening a third BPO Outsourcing office in Cebu City, the Philippines following continual growth over the 4th quarter of 2020. The first Delonix outsourcing office was opened in July 2012. It has since grown from eight staff to approximately 600 at the start of 2020

BSP governor says Philippines will be coinless society by 2025

By 2025, the Philippines is expected to be a coinless society as small transactions would then be done by quick response (QR) codes which will be available through the national identification system, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday

Wipro revenue grows 1.3% to $2.1 bn in Dec quarter

Wipro said its IT services revenue grew 1.3 percent year-on-year 3.9 percent sequentially to $2.071 billion for the December quarter

Cognizant to acquire Linium as part of cloud strategy

Cognizant has agreed to acquire Linium, a cloud transformation consultancy group specializing in the ServiceNow platform

Moody’s: Philippines to grow by 7%

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is likely to recover from the pandemic-induced recession with a seven percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year, according to Moody’s Investors Service

Covid surge drags FDI inflows to 6-month low

Net inflows of foreign direct investments (FDI) declined to their lowest level in six months last October, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) blaming it on the resurgence of coronavirus cases in developed economies

Lamudi says Quezon City, Cebu remain PH's property hotspots

MANILA - Property seekers looked mostly in Quezon City or Cebu for properties to rent and buy last year, making the cities the property hotspots in 2020, data from property finder Lamudi showed

Electronics exporters see 7% growth with demand for ‘new normal’ tech

AN electronics industry group said it sees increased demand this year for technologies that support the “new normal.”

Several Philippine LGUs sign deals to buy AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

MANILA (UPDATE) - The local governments of Caloocan City, San Juan City, Vigan City and the province of Iloilo have signed agreements with AstraZeneca for the advanced purchase of its COVID-19 vaccine

The Business Process Outsourcing Trend: How BPO Benefits Businesses Of All Sizes

In business process outsourcing, or BPO, subcontractors perform essential business operations in lieu of using internal staff. While many businesses have used external service providers, including freelancers, independent contractors and large-scale third-party enterprises at some point, the use of BPO has continued to expand. I expect this trend to escalate year-over-year as businesses of all sizes experience the benefits of business outsourcing firsthand

Positive PH growth expected in Q1

The Philippine economy is showing signs it would begin posting “positive” growth in the first three months of 2021, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Thursday

Atos might acquire DXC, bids $10 billion

As the year starts, some organizations are riled up to make big moves and one such is the French-based IT Company Atos. Atos might acquire DXC as it verifies the rumor about bidding $10 billion for DXC Technology

DOLE lists in-demand jobs in health, construction, BPO sectors

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Friday identified some of the in-demand and resilient jobs where jobseekers may apply

SC stops 5% tax on POGO gaming bets

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, January 5, stopped the government from imposing a five per cent franchise tax on the gross bets from the operations of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs)

Microsoft Philippines Recognized Among HR Asia’s ‘Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2020’

Philippines, 7 January 2021 – Microsoft Philippines was recently named one of the ‘Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2020’ by HR Asia

PH office space sales fell 70% in 2020 — Leechiu

Leechiu Property Consultants Inc. said Thursday the office market will continue to be a relevant segment of the real estate sector in 2021, as the economy begins to recover from the pandemic

WB warns global recovery could erode if virus worsens

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The World Bank on Tuesday downgraded its outlook for the global economy, and warned the situation could deteriorate if Covid-19 infections accelerate or the vaccine rollout is delayed

SC stops 5% tax on POGO gaming bets

How an outsourcing solutions portal won P1-million in AXN’s ‘Project Go’

Project GO, the brand new reality series by GoDaddy, in collaboration with KC Global Media Asia’s AXN, has revealed its first-ever winner

Everise wins HR Asia’s Best Place to Work Award for the second time

Everise wins big as a Best Place to Work in both Malaysia and the Philippines. The company prides itself on being a people-first next-generation customer experience (CX) solutions and technology company, creating a unique culture for their 11,000 champions across seven markets. They are the only CX company to win the awards

6.5%-7.5% GDP growth in 2022 attainable – Diokno

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno is more confident of achieving an economic recovery back to the 6.5-7.5 percent level by 2022 as the country improves in responding to the public health crisis

Genpact acquires digital transformation services firm

Genpact, a global information technology and professional services firm, has acquired Enquero, a data engineering and data-based digital transformation services company

Philippines slaps new taxes on car imports to help local players

The Philippines is slapping new taxes on vehicle imports after finding enough evidence that cheap cars abroad caused "serious injury" to the local industry

PSE sees major stock offerings in 2021

The Philippine Stock Exchange is cautiously optimistic that the local stock market will perform better in 2021 and expects at least 10 companies to raise funds via the bourse through public offerings of stocks

Covid woes force PHL to cut export outlook to $104B

AFTER suffering double-digit losses due to the pandemic, the government has decided to reduce export projections for up to 2022 by a fifth to $103.9 billion, from the original $130 billion

DOST to focus R&D on agri, health, energy sectors in 2021

MANILA – For this year, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is focusing its research and development (R&D) on agriculture, health, and energy sectors, Secretary Fortunato de la Peña bared on Monday

Further quarantine easing, Covid-19 vaccine to boost PH growth

MANILA – Continued easing of quarantine measures, along with the deployment of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines, are expected to boost domestic growth to within-target levels this year

Outsourcing cost Mexico 250,000 jobs in December, president says

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Saturday that Mexico had lost 277,000 jobs in the month of December, which he attributed to subcontractors cutting employees from the books to avoid paying benefits and year-end bonuses

PH’s int’l investment position better in Q3

The Philippines’ international investment position (IIP) improved in the third quarter of 2020 on the back of financial asset growth, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)

Tolentino eyes pharmaceutical zones

SEN. Francis Tolentino has urged the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) and Board of Investments (BoI) to expedite the establishment of pharmaceutical manufacturing zones in the country

Port of Cebu exceeds December revenue target by P130M

THE Bureau of Customs Port of Cebu has exceeded its collection target for the month of December, further adding to its annual surplus

DOLE rolls out employment recovery plan

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is rolling out a three-year national recovery plan in 2021 to generate jobs for millions of workers displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic

New envoy says Japanese firms in Philippines eyeing expansion opportunities

THE Philippines and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to further build on their strong economic partnership, which includes plans to expand Japanese investments in the country following favorable developments on a Philippine tax reform measure that aims to significantly lower the corporate income tax (CIT) rate

With new US chief, PHL eyes another global trade accord

WITH the election of a new president in the White House, the Philippines is exploring the option of joining another multilateral trade deal to boost economic relations with the United States

Economist sees further jumps in PH’s BOP surplus

An economist forecasts further jumps in the Philippines’ balance of payments (BOP) surplus partly due to recovery in foreign direct investments (FDIs), foreign portfolio investments, and remittance inflows

Philippines shows signs of recovery – DOF

The government should continue the calibrated easing of lockdown measures to further spur the recovery of the trade sector and ultimately the entire economy, according to the Department of Finance (DOF)

Sitel boosts talent acquisition with data-driven app

As part of company-wide digital transformation strategy, Sitel revamped its hiring process with data-driven software, building an end-to-end digital hiring process, decrease attrition and future-proof its talent acquisition processes

More investment perks eyed outside Metro Manila

A legislator is optimistic that 2021 will be a year of “countryside development” with more tax incentives and big-ticket infrastructure projects in the provinces

Reader letter: Outsourcing city jobs detrimental to local economy

Mayor Drew Dilkens and city council are outsourcing caretakers at the City Hall building

Total PEZA project approvals exceed 300

Total projects approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) reached over 300 for the year, which are expected to create 70,000 jobs

Electric buses now in Davao City

Drawing stares and curious looks from motorists and commuters, the seven units of Business for Environmentally Sustainable Transformation (BEST) buses are now running along the streets of Davao City

No Deal On Work-From-Home BPOs As Deadline Looms

Some operators of high-volume employment-creating business process outsourcing (BPO) companies are staring anxiously at the looming December 31 deadline when current temporary work-from-home arrangements will end for the sector

Better Covid facilities improve recovery rate in Davao City

THE improvement of Davao City's Covid-19 facilities resulted in the higher recovery rate in the city, which is now at 78-percent, a high ranking city health official reported

Metro Cebu’s competitiveness strong despite Covid-19: global firm

CEBU CITY – A global property consultancy firm said competitiveness and availability of business parks and manpower quality remain strong in Metro Cebu despite turbulent periods caused by the pandemic

4 Mindanao LGUs cited as among the most competitive

Four local government units (LGUs) in Mindanao emerged as among the most competitive in the country, according to the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) 2020

BPI forecast: GDP growing by 7%, jobless rate easing to 7% in 2021

The Philippine economy may grow by 7 percent next year after shrinking by 11 percent this year as mobility improves alongside the migration to digital platforms, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) lead economist Emilio Neri Jr. said

Philippines ranks 2nd in Asia, 8th worldwide for financial inclusion promotion

The Philippines remains among the top leaders in financial inclusion, according to the 2020 Global Microscope on Financial Inclusion of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the research arm of The Economist Group

Philippines bets on online casinos, e-cockfights as Chinese flee

The Philippines is gearing up to expand its online gambling industry by opening up betting to local residents and domestic operators, targeting more overseas markets and offering new services including online cockfighting and horse racing

4,500 Americans fall for India call-center scam, lose $14m. collectively

Some 4,500 people from the US fell victim to a call-center scam, losing an estimated $14 m. collectively over two years to an India based team of scammers, the New York Times reported Thursday. New Delhi police arrested 50 people involved with the scam

THE BIG BUSINESS BENEFITS OF OUTSOURCING

Outsourcing is nothing new – but it has become much more accessible in recent years due to rapid innovation in the technological sector, and increased network connectivity

Offshore Development Outsourcing: Emerging Trends & Why Businesses Opt For It

Outsourcing mobile app development and software development has been a practice that has become a norm for enterprises and businesses nowadays. In the past few years. The main objective of cost reduction in the development process has been achieved by outsourcing it to competent development companies

Metro Cebu’s competitiveness strong despite Covid-19: global firm

PH lags behind ASEAN peers in logistics – JLL

The Philippines lagged behind ASEAN countries in logistics development and investments as it concentrated in the services sector, but the country is expected to catch up as opportunities for investors abound

COVID-19 steered Philippines to digital economy

Months of lockdown due to the pandemic have forced the country’s telecommunications companies or telcos to improve internet services and steer the nation into the so-called digital economy, an economist in Congress said yesterday

Davao is 2nd Most Competitive Highly-Urbanized City

THREE local government units in Davao Region were recognized for being "competitive" cities and province in the 8th Regional Competitiveness Summit-Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index on Wednesday, December 16

Implement SafeDavao QR, Davao City biz told

The Davao City government on Tuesday urged its business sector to properly implement the SafeDavao QR (DQR) contract-tracing platform in their establishments

Current investments in Colombia strengthen nearshore sourcing options

For decades, U.S. companies turned to Asia for offshore manufacturing and operations. Yet, the soft economy, the lingering U.S. trade dispute with China and the unrelenting pandemic have disrupted global trade and vital supply lines. Current and prospective offshoring buyers in Phoenix and nationwide are now rethinking their options

India’s Outsourcing Firm eClerx Acquires its American Rival Personiv

Indian BPO provider eClerx has acquired its American rival Personiv for US$34 million, gaining a wider reach in the North American country where most of their clients are based

Two fake call centres busted in G’gram, 3 held

The Chief Minister’s flying squad busted two illegal call centres operating in Spaze IT Park, Sohna Road Sector-49 in Gurugram on Tuesday evening

Enough with outsourcing – Bara protestors

Hundreds of cleaners and security guards have blocked the main entrance at the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital demanding to be insourced

Why Game Art Outsourcing Is The Best Choice For Entertainment Product Development

Video games are now in their prime. Due to recent events, people have begun to spend much more time at home, and games have become one of their main entertainment. Usually, a game is developed from a year to several years, but many developers believe that several years is a sentence

KPO firm eClerx to acquire US-based Personiv for $34 mn

Mumbai-listed business and knowledge process outsourcing firm eClerx Services Ltd has inked a pact to acquire Personiv, a US-based digital marketing and back office services provider

DBS: Philippines to contract until 1st quarter next year

The Philippines is likely to suffer a gross domestic product (GDP) contraction until the first quarter of next year as the country gradually recovers from the pandemic-induced recession, according to Singapore-based DBS Bank Ltd

TOA Global partners with Smarter SMSF to deliver SMSF foundations course

Outsourced accounting service provider TOA Global is pleased to announce its partnership with Smarter SMSF to deliver a SMSF foundations course that will enable TOA’s team members who specialise in the self-managed super funds (SMSF) area to build their technical skills and earn continuing professional development (CPD) credits

BOC, investment promotion agencies ink accord on enhanced trade facilitation

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has signed a cooperation agreement with investment promotion agencies (IPAs) in a bid to increase the overall efficiency of the trade environment in the country

Duterte commits to broaden PH-Japan ties with new Japanese PM

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and new Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga reaffirmed their shared commitment to further broaden and deepen the two countries' ties across various areas of cooperation

‘Viable’ IT-BPM sector to take up vacated POGO office space

The IT-Business Process Manufacturing (IT-BPM) sector can easily backfill the space left by the exodus of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), as it’s one of the few markets in the world that has remained viable through COVID-19, according to a recent media briefing by Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC)

22% OF US WORKFORCE WILL STILL BE REMOTE BY 2025: UPWORK

Nearly one-quarter of the US workforce will continue to work remotely by 2025, according to the “Future Workforce Pulse Report” released today by online staffing platform Upwork Inc. (NASDAQ: UPWK)

Firms ready to hire in 2021—BSP survey

AFTER a record-high unemployment rate at the height of the pandemic-induced lockdowns, Filipinos should expect more job opportunities at the opening of next year, as more firms indicated willingness to start increasing their employment size in the first quarter of 2021

Meet the Filipino studios that helped create Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is a massive game, so much so that several studios from all over the world helped CD Projekt RED in creating the game. In fact, two studios in the Philippines helped bring Cyberpunk 2077 to life: Pixel Mafia, Secret 6, and Synergy88!

Strong foot traffic in malls, BPO expansions show signs of PH recovery – property firm

The economy appears on track for a strong recovery, marked by a return of customers in retail outlets and pulled up by the booming outsourcing sector, Leechiu Property Consultants said

VP Bank to Outsource Parts of Its IT

Liechtenstein bank VP will outsource parts of the IT to an external service provider. Some of the staff in the back office will therefore have to move over to the new partner

Outsourcing B2B Sales Development? How To Keep From Overspending

For a startup chief marketing officer (CMO), one of your first assignments will be to help drive more prospects into the sales pipeline. Your business will likely have a small team of sales leaders who are doing their own sales development, but they may be struggling to consistently hit their quota

Why the stock market could break 8,000 next year

The local stock barometer may return to the 8,000 level in the coming year as corporate earnings rebound sharply with the further reopening of the domestic economy alongside a sustained dovish monetary policy setting, according to an investment expert from Sun Life

Qantas no outlier in outsourcing push

Qantas' decision to outsource ground staff was in line other full-service carriers, according to an industry expert, although its primary rival, Virgin Australia, will continue to employ its own staff

No More Getting Squished On Public Transport Daily, WFH May Become A Permanent Feature For Some

According to executives at leading companies and firms, working from home could become a permanent feature for some job profiles, with location constraints no longer a problem, as they said it improved productivity during the pandemic

‘Looming skills gap post-virus’

“No jobs for the unskilled. No workers for skilled work.” This was the warning of the economist of the House of Representatives who forecasts that some 2.4 million skilled jobs or 6 percent of the labor force might be unfilled within the next decade unless education and training reforms were implemented

BSP sees sustained buildup in forex buffer, BOP surplus

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects the country’s record-high foreign exchange buffer to sustain its buildup and the external payments position to strengthen amid the slump in global trade

This housing developer offers contemporary homes in Laguna

Some of Luzon's top tourist destinations are found in Laguna, a province southeast of Manila. It is where the majestic Pagsanjan Falls is, the enchanting Mt. Makiling, and grand old churches to famed historical sites like the Rizal Shrine. It is mostly where families spend quick getaways and comeback for its hot springs, picturesque lakes, and nature-themed resorts

Davao gov't, power firm launch first e-bus system

In partnership with the city government, the Aboitiz Group, with AboitizPower unit Davao Light and Power Co., GET Philippines, and the Spain-based QEV Technologies launched the first e-bus system here Friday afternoon

Insights-driven BPO: The next generation of the BPO evolution

Those of us who have been around long enough to remember American television commentator Lou Dobbs and his infamous list from 2009 that named and shamed companies who were "exporting America," Dobbs accused these companies of outsourcing jobs, primarily in technology or technology-enabled services, out of the US to benefit from wage differentials in other countries

LG shakes up loss-making phone business, to outsource lower-end models

LG Electronics said on Monday it had reorganised its mobile phone division to increase outsourcing of its low to mid-end smartphones, which analysts said represented an attempt to cut costs and compete with Chinese rivals

2.4M skilled jobs in PH feared to remain unfilled

The country faces a postpandemic skills and employment gap that may leave 2.4 million skilled jobs vacant and unfilled if there are no significant reforms in education and training of workers

BoP surplus seen to expand to over $12B

The central bank expects a bigger balance of payments (BoP) surplus in 2020 after taking the latest government data, as well as emerging economic developments and outlook, into consideration

State of real estate: Primer for 2021

“Change is not afraid to disrupt and unsettle what is believed to be established, even the seemingly optimistic future of the real estate industry for 2020.”

PH, Indonesia urged to explore trade opportunities

The Philippines and Indonesia could further explore opportunities to increase their trade and investments, as the groundwork for it has always been present, according to a Davao-based business organization

Foreign investment approvals down 72.8% to P75.6B

Foreign-led projects approved by the country’s investment promotion agencies (IPAs) in the third quarter fell 83 percent to P31 billion amid prolonged COVID-19 quarantine

TCS to hire additional 10,000 employees in US by 2022

IT services and consultancy company TCS said it plans to hire an additional 10,000 employees in the US by 2022

Dabawenya heads first all-digital bank in PH

IF YOU consider yourself always updated on developments in the investment and banking space in the country, you might have heard of Tonik Digital Bank, Inc. earlier this year

Gannett outsourcing nearly 500 jobs to India, report says

Financially-troubled Gannett will outsource 485 jobs to India in 2021 as part of a “massive company-wide transformation,” according to a Poynter report

AMLO Delays Ban on Outsourcing Amid Uproar by Business

Mexico December 9th (Bloomberg) — President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador delayed a bill that would ban most outsourcing in Mexico after business chambers warned it would be disastrous for the economy

BoP surplus seen to expand to over $12B

The central bank expects a bigger balance of payments (BoP) surplus in 2020 after taking the latest government data, as well as emerging economic developments and outlook, into consideration

State of real estate: Primer for 2021

“Change is not afraid to disrupt and unsettle what is believed to be established, even the seemingly optimistic future of the real estate industry for 2020.”

PH, Indonesia urged to explore trade opportunities

BOI sees sustained P1-T investment generation in 2021

The Board of Investments (BOI) expects to sustain its P1 trillion investment generation level next year and growth in exports albeit at a slower pace

Investments in PEZA zones reach P3.9-T in 25 years

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has approved a total of PHP3.9 trillion worth of investments for the past 25 years as of November 2020

Davao City Christmas In The New Normal

Around this time last year, upland communities of indigenous peoples (IPs) in Davao City host different fun and community-based activities for the members of the tribes, especially the children

Philippines seen as economic laggard in ASEAN

The Philippines is set to become a laggard in Southeast Asia with the deepest economic contraction as it struggles to control the COVID-19 outbreak, according to Maybank Kim Eng

QANTAS ARGUES TWU IS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH OVER OUTSOURCING CASE

Qantas has accused the TWU of not telling the truth in response to the union filing an outsourcing ‘test case’ against the airline in the Federal Court

Umbrella business group signs outsourcing accord but private sector is split

Business groups are divided over a new agreement on outsourcing and subcontracting announced by the federal government on Wednesday

98% of TCS, Infosys, Wipro employees to continue to work from home till March 2021

Bengaluru: A vaccine to combat Covid-19 may be available in India soon but a majority of employees in top IT companies such as TCS, Infosys and Wipro will continue to work from home, at least till March of 2021, according to top officials at these companies

332 illegal foreign workers arrested in Tarlac

Authorities arrested on Wednesday more than three hundred undocumented foreign workers in Tarlac, who were reportedly involved in online gambling and cybercrime operations

‘Expect growth in office, industrial segments in 2021’

The country’s industrial and office leasing segments can expect to post considerable growth next year while the residential segment may not grow as much, according to a top official of a Davao City-based real estate developer

No Xmas parties for Bacolod BPO firms

BACOLOD City – Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies in this city are forgoing face-to-face Christmas parties

Manila joins global network of technology startups

THE PHILIPPINES joined the Singapore-based global network for technology startups called the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) in a bid to boost small businesses

WB expects PH economy to shrink by 8.1% in 2020 due to COVID-19’s ‘triple shock’

The World Bank expects the Philippine economy to slip deeper than initially estimated, but the level of contraction will be less severe than the Duterte administration’s projection

‘Nobody is Outsourcing the Auditor’: County Administrative Office Responds to Claims By and About Paz Dominguez

Nobody is outsourcing the Auditor. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The addition of a CFO [chief financial officer] will supplement, not replace, the county’s efforts to carry out important fiscal functions, including those related to the Board’s Nov. 23 meeting

LG plans to outsource more of its low-end and mid-range phones

LG is shaking things up in its mobile division once more. It confirmed to Reuters it will increase outsourcing of its low- and mid-range smartphones. Third-party companies will design and build more of the devices, and LG will slap its label on the phones

IT product companies to set up base in Khammam

The newly inaugurated IT Hub in Khammam, a key initiative of the State government’s decentralised approach to expand Information Technology to tier-II cities, will provide an ideal platform for promotion of technology innovation, employment generation, skill and entrepreneurship development, said Information Technology and Municipal Administration Minister K. T. Rama Rao

Canon Business Process Services Expands its Scranton Business Processing Center Operation

Driven by increased demand from clients needing help in implementing their digital transformation initiatives, Canon Business Process Services (Canon) has doubled the size of its Eastern regional Business Processing Center (BPC) in Scranton, Pennsylvania from 10,000 to 20,000 square feet. In addition to its enhanced footprint, document processing volume in Canon's Scranton facility, which opened last year, has increased by over 200 percent

Experts’ View On Changing Dynamics Of Outsourcing In L&D Interventions

As the businesses across the industries have been visibly impacted by this massive disruption; experts agree that the talent has been under pressure to perform better. The need for up-skilling is what we are witnessing in order to catch the pace of a new and uncertain world where business growth is demanding a new set of skills and values

Government Outsources Responsibility for Outsourcing

Corporate monolith Deloitte is being paid to assist the Government’s implementation of its own private sector outsourcing policies, Byline Times can reveal

Mexico’s New Proposed Amendment to Eliminate Outsourcing

On November 12, 2020, during a recurring morning press conference, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador issued an amendment proposal to reform various laws with the aim of establishing a new regulation to the outsourcing scheme currently in effect in Mexico

PEZA pursuing ‘township’ strategy for ecozones, upgrading worker skills

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said it hopes to transform economic zones into “townships” that will become integrated centers for work, commerce, and homes, while also pursuing initiatives to make workers multi-skilled

Higher inflation in November seen as ‘temporary uptick’ – BSP

The inflation rate for November of 3.3 percent, which was higher than the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) 2.4 percent to 3.2 percent forecast for the month, is a temporary uptick and would not affect the government’s two-four percent target, said BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno

UST Global Wins Business Culture Award 2020 for Best International Initiative

UST Global, a leading digital transformation solutions company, announced that it won the prestigious Business Culture Awards 2020 for 'Best International Initiative for Business Culture.' The awards, announced at a virtual event on November 25th, celebrate forward-thinking companies that have created outstanding work-environments, enabling their employees to perform to their very best, facilitating exceptional business performance and customer delivery

Concentrix Announces Separation from Synnex, Now Independently Listed on Nasdaq

Concentrix Corporation, a leading global provider of customer experience solutions and technology, announced that it has completed its separation from SYNNEX Corporation and is now an independent, publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ stock market under the ticker symbol “CNXC”

Brand Digital Pilipinas: The new people’s revolution

Technology has always been a key slingshot for global development. The World Bank study examining developed economies like the United States revealed that 86 percent of labor productivity came from digitally transformed industries

Travel, trade sectors to benefit from digitalization

THE COUNTRY’S travel and trade sectors could benefit from fully digitizing processes in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Perlin.net Chief Executive Officer Dorjee Sun said

Subic BPO to step up Covid-19 measures

Buwelo BPO Solutions, the call center operator in this Freeport which made news recently when 25 of its employees tested positive for Covid-19, has pledged to implement more measures to keep the virus at bay

Defensor counts on top 5,000 firms to shoulder COVID-19 vaccination of 5-M workers

The vice chairperson of the House Committee on Health cited Sunday as crucial the participation of the country’s top 5,000 private corporations in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, saying that it will somehow unburden the government in terms of logistics and financial expenditures

Benefits of outsourcing your PRO services during the pandemic

The entrepreneurial spirit is on the up in Dubai. Last year, there were nearly a quarter of a million business registrations and licensing transactions– up 4.6 per cent on the previous year. Dubai’s business backdrop is competitive, diverse, and full of opportunities but from a legal point of view, it is also full of bureaucracy, regulations, and obligations for you as a business owner

Teresa Carroll joins Paychex-owned Oasis Outsourcing as president

Professional employer organization Oasis Outsourcing named Teresa Carroll as its president

Talks fail to reach accord on controversial outsourcing legislation

The federal government and the private sector have still not reached agreement on controversial outsourcing legislation after three meetings

25 BPO employees tested positive for COVID-19 after holding two parties

Twenty-five Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) employees in Subic tested positive for COVID-19 after holding two parties in November

Japanese firm expands medical test kits production in PH

Japanese group Arkray is expanding operations in the Philippines in the manufacture of medical test kits, according to the Board of Investments

Seminars, confabs at 30% capacity OK in GCQ areas

The government panel handling the country’s COVID-19 response has allowed the holding of workshops, training, seminars, conventions, conferences, consumer trade shows, board meetings, symposia, and the like in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ)

Inflation quickens to 3.3% in Nov

THE country’s headline inflation rate rose to a 20-month high of 3.3 percent in November on account of higher prices of food and non-alcoholic drinks, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced on Friday

Invalid DQR prevents entry of some to Davao City

SOME Safe Davao QR (DQR) code holders were barred from entering Davao City because their QR codes were invalid, a city official said in a radio interview on Thursday, December 3, 2020

Unemployment rate eases in Oct. as economy reopens

THE country’s unemployment rate further eased in October from record levels in April, as the economy continued to gradually reopen, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday

Export industry roadmap under review

THE Trade department is reviewing its long-term export targets after the pandemic-induced global downturn stymied the sector’s growth

PH needs to do more to attract FDIs – MAP

Despite the expected Malacanang approval of the CREATE bill following Senate passage, the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) said there is still so much to do to attract foreign direct investments

Fake call centre busted in Gurugram, two held

Haryana Chief Minister’s flying squad late on Tuesday night busted an illegal call centre operating in Sector-28 in Gurugram

Foreign firms eye $50-B FDI over 10 years

THE JOINT Foreign Chambers of the Philippines is targeting to generate $50 billion in foreign direct investments (FDI) and three million new jobs in the next decade

2 get-togethers traced as source of COVID-19 surge in Subic firm

While social activities are important even during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still not the time to party especially when minimum health requirements will not be observed

Quatrro Expands Certifications and Achieves Microsoft's Gold Partner Status

Quatrro Business Support Services ("Quatrro"), a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) provider focused on delivering technical support services and technology-enabled finance and accounting services, continues to invest in delivering services via highly trained and certified resources

Atento's Innovation Hub Launches Startup Accelerator Program and Open Innovation Platform

The largest customer relationship management and business process outsourcing services provider in Latin America, and among the top five companies globally, announced today the launch of two programs within the Company's Innovation Hub that are intended to accelerate the search for innovative ideas, one a startup accelerator and the other an open innovation platform

PH identifies 5 sectors for investments

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) formally launched its new international marketing campaign “Make It Happen in the Philippines”, highlighting five key investment priority sectors

Mindanao groups launch Alisto!, a citizens’ platform for reporting violations, abuses related to Anti-Terror Act

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 02 December) – At least 20 human rights and peace advocacy groups in Mindanao on Tuesday launched Alisto! (Be Alert), a Mindanao-wide civilian protection and monitoring platform where citizens can report violations and abuses related to the implementation of the controversial Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terror Act (ATA) of 2020

Davao City rolls out aggressive community COVID-19 testing

The aggressive community testing for the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Davao City has started amid the reported increase in confirmed cases

ITU flags connectivity gaps, Internet access in Philippines, other nations

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has noted what it described as “worrying gaps” in connectivity and Internet access in least developed countries

Outsourcing low paid work disguises true extent of growing inequality

Average CEO pay in FTSE 100 firms has escalated from £960,000 to £4million in 15 years, dramatically increasing inequality between senior executives and ordinary employees, according to new research from the London School of Economics and Political Science

Peza to hold regular talks with investors

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) launched the “Global Biz with Peza” to have a direct line with stakeholders in special economic zones and various industries

Philippines senator wants to make Chinese immigration harder

Up until 2020, the Philippine Offshore Gambling Operator (POGO) sector played a huge role in servicing China with online gambling, and for that it needed a large Chinese workforce. That seems so long ago now, and Senator Risa Hontiveros is looking to heavily curtail the ability of POGOS to recruit new Chinese employees

Bacolod is World Bank pilot city on economic recovery program

DESPITE the Covid-19 pandemic, Bacolod City is pursuing its plans for economic recovery, one of which is in line with the World Bank’s Green and Resilient Development Program

4 areas in Mindanao placed under GCQ

President Rodrigo R. Duterte placed four Mindanao areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) from December 1 to 31

India pushes closer PH trade relations

India believes that it could build stronger trade relations with the Philippines in various sectors as the two countries matched in terms of the economic landscape

Qantas to outsource 2000 ground-handling jobs

Qantas has blamed COVID-19 for its decision to reject a last-minute attempt to save 2000 ground-handling jobs and instead outsource the work to several companies, including international operators Menzies and Swissport

Ebix and Data Glove Technologies Sign Strategic Outsourcing and Joint Venture Agreement to Offer Cloud and Infrastructure Support Services to the Insurance, Banking and Healthcare Industries

Ebix, Inc. (NASDAQ: EBIX), a leading international supplier of On-Demand software and E-commerce services to the insurance, financial, healthcare and e-learning industries today announced a strategic agreement with Data Glove Technologies, a New Jersey based firm specializing in Infrastructure, Managed Services and Cloud Services

CIENCE Named Best BPO Service Provider of 2020 by Digital.com

Digital.com, a leading independent review website for small business online tools, products, and services, has named CIENCE to its list of best business process outsourcing services (BPO) of 2020. The top solutions were selected based on industry focus, size of the firm, and multiple service lines

Senate okays CREATE bill, Dominguez eyes new tax reform law by yearend

The Senate, voting 20-1, passed on third and final reading on Thursday the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bill providing reforms in corporate taxes and incentives, with Sen. Richard Gordon casting the lone negative vote

Guide to Outsourcing Your IT Department

In the last years, small and mid-size businesses to gain a competitive edge and match the in-house IT services that large companies maintain, have sought to outsource their IT department

When commercial centers build communities

The mall is arguably the modern center of Philippine culture

Industrial real estate on the rise

OVER the last five years, we witnessed the growth of the real estate industry in Davao City, evident with the construction of high-rise residential towers, office buildings, mixed-use developments, and subdivisions

Dyson to open software lab in PH for technologies of the future

Dyson, the world’s leading advanced technologies firm, yesterday announced the setting up a dedicated software laboratory in the Philippines to expand its operation in the production of intelligent and advanced machines with embedded software, firming up the country’s major role in the company’s value chain

An initiative to hinder outsourcing in Mexico

On November 12 2020, the President presented to Congress an initiative to reform different labour and tax provisions with regard to the subcontracting of labour

Coronavirus: Outsourcing row over new £10m Test & Protect contract

THE Scottish Government has agreed to pay a private company £10m for help with Covid tracing, despite SNP ministers insisting the work is not being outsourced

Termination rights in bank outsourcing: EBA clears up uncertainty

Banks and other financial and payment institutions do not need to meet a specific list of European Banking Authority's (EBA's) regulatory guidelines relating to the termination of outsourcing agreements unless they are outsourcing "critical and important functions", the EBA has confirmed

Property sector in Metro Manila weakens in Q3 —JLL

Metro Manila’s real estate sector continues to face challenges in the third quarter due to the lingering economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, property consultancy firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) said Thursday

BOP posts ninth month of surplus in October

The Philippine payments position registered a surplus for the ninth consecutive month in October, mainly from income from investments overseas, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported Thursday

Economic recovery in 2021 unlikely- Pernia

The Philippine economy is unlikely to recover beginning next year due to chronic underspending on health and the government’s anemic fiscal response to the coronavirus-induced crisis, the Duterte administration’s former chief economist said

PEZA may exceed investment goal

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is aiming to approve more than P100 billion in investment pledges by the end of the year, led by a potential investor relocating from China

Israeli group of companies relocating from China to PH

An Israeli technology conglomerate with subsidiaries in China is transferring all its operations from the north Asian country to the Philippines by 2021, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority said Monday

ATP and Infosys Extend Digital Innovation Partnership

A global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, and the ATP, have today announced the renewal of their highly successful partnership for a further three years. The agreement will see Infosys continue as Global Technology Services Partner and Digital Innovation Partner of the ATP, through 2023

8 KEY TASKS MANAGERS SHOULD START OUTSOURCING RIGHT NOW

According to Michael Gerber in “The E-Myth,” a manager or business owner’s job is to work on his team and not in his team

Foreigners leaving PH in droves – BI

Koreans topped the list of aliens leaving the Philippines, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI)

Editorial: Improving internal communications

THERE is clearly a disconnect when it comes to the guidelines being issued on the management of the spread of the Covid-19 and those tasked to implement it

ROUGH CUTS | The other ‘new normal’ in Davao City

IF THE legitimate information technology experts are ceaselessly burning their midnight candles to upgrade the capability of their products, their counterparts on the “dark” side of the technology use are also as tireless in improving their skills for their criminal intentions

How to Find the Right IT Outsourcing Company

Outsourcing is one of the best ways to transform your ideas into impactful IT solutions that will help transform your business. Once you elect to outsource IT services, the next step is identifying and selecting the right partner. While outsourcing can be beneficial to your business, choosing the wrong partner can prove costly

Top 10 Benefits Outsourcing Software Development Services Brings to Business

Businesses are increasingly realizing the advantages of outsourcing software development. This is evident from the rapid increase in the number of companies seeing outsourcing services and the growth in destinations and companies offering software development outsourcing services

Client account outsourcing fails to take off

Just a fraction of the 10,000 firms in England and Wales have taken advantage of a rule change making it easier for them to outsource the handling of client money, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed

How has coronavirus affected Indian outsourcing?

India’s IT outsourcing market is the back office of the global economy but has seen its heady growth of recent years choked off by the Coronavirus pandemic and worldwide lockdowns. Ever resourceful, the Indian IT players are staying flexible as they look to re-invent their relationships with clients and rush ahead with automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning to carry them through to future growth

Pension Outsourcing Shared Delivery Leader

The complexity, costs and risks associated with employee benefits pose an increasing threat to business performance. An enterprise-wide strategy for managing benefits gives our clients the framework to develop programs that work in concert to help attract and retain top talent in a cost-effective manner so they can offer benefits that give them a competitive edge while meeting the needs of their employees

Peza registers P73-billion projects from January-October 2020

Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) Director General Charito Plaza said that the registered projects with the investment promotion agency in the first 10 months of the year have reached P72.6 billion

BPOs tap small town talent on easier rules

The business process outsourcing (BPO) sector is looking to hire more talent from smaller cities as the easing of regulatory norms have made it possible to work from anywhere, turning geographic boundaries of workplaces redundant

Outsourcing Qantas jobs is 'un-Australian', say workers, as they make last-ditch bid to save more than 2,000 positions

Kym Meyer has worked as a Qantas baggage handler for 18 years and never thought he would be in the position of bidding for his job

Philippines recession to last until 2021

The Philippine economy continues to lose steam and is poised to remain in recession until 2021 amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, according to Dutch financial giant ING Bank

PH military sends medical teams to Davao City where COVID-19 cases surging

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday (Nov. 23) sent a 25-man medical contingent to Davao City, following a spike in COVID-19 cases there

Mexican President Signs Bill to Ban Outsourcing of Jobs

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced on October 27, 2020 that he would send a bill to Congress to eliminate outsourcing (third party employers). On November 12, 2020, he signed the bill to be sent to Congress in his morning press conference

Why It’s Time To Consider Outsourcing For Software Development

For close to eight years now, a 100% virtual model has worked for Ascendle better than I could have imagined. Most of our U.S.-based team members live within two hours of one another, which has allowed for regular meetups—before the pandemic, that is—for teambuilding and staying connected

What are the positives of outsourcing your IT?

It is not just the larger corporations that are benefiting from a more flexible approach to IT, either, because numerous SMEs and even sole traders find that outsourced IT means their strategic business goals can be met more easily. If you are considering sub-contracting all or part of your enterprise’s current IT requirements in the near future, then what are the positive outcomes you can expect?

PEZA clears 34 projects worth P15 billion

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority approved a total of 34 projects worth close to P15 billion

TCS wins new IT deal from Kingfisher Plc

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced its new IT deal with Kingfisher Plc, a leading home improvement company in the UK and Europe

Hedge fund managers look to outsource work amidst Covid pandemic

MUMBAI: Hedge funds that had seen their operational models being disrupted due to Covid pandemic have been relying on outsourcing part of their work to achieve greater efficiency

Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Pharmaceutical Outsourcing Market

Pharmaceutical outsourcing has emerged as a resilient trend across the global pharma sector. The relevance of research, analysis, and intensive development across the pharmaceutical industry has given an impetus to the growth of the global pharmaceutical outsourcing market

Outsourcing of work fails to improve BSNL service

Maintenance and other external works of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have been experiencing delays ever since the public sector telecom company outsourced such works earlier this year. Even requests for upgrading of internet connections are at times delayed, leading to customers switching to connections provided by private players

When to Outsource Flight Planning

Flight planning is among the most important aspects of day-to-day flight operations. Airlines, companies and aircraft owners need to set up schedules that allow for safe flights while maintaining tight schedules. And flight planning during the coronavirus pandemic is no different, as operators need to factor in additional required services such as enhanced cleaning between trips

BPO sector remains ‘robust’ during quarantine

THE business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is getting by during the lockdown with “robust” growth, if continued hiring activity is any indication, according to tech hiring company Kalibrr

Problem Free China Outsourcing in These Tough Times

We are always preaching that if you 1) choose a good manufacturer, 2) use a good Manufacturing Contract, 3) engage in good quality control monitoring, and register your trademark, the odds are overwhelming that you will do just fine in outsourcing your product from China

Is WFH/work from anywhere creating an equitable workplace for women?

Recently the Centre did away with the onerous Other Service Provider (OSP) regulations and issued new guidelines for the IT/ITeS industry. It was celebrated as a landmark move that would change the way IT business process outsourcing firms delivered their services giving work from home a boost

Seeing rosy prospects amid the pandemic

Despite the highly challenging environment, Cebu Landmasters Inc. remained bullish of its prospects as it intends to pursue six more project launches this year, owing to a sustained demand and a resilient real estate business in Visayas and Mindanao

BOI approves Cebu hotel project

SureStay Plus Hotel, one of the globally-recognized and fastest growing Best Western® Hotels and Resorts brands, is investing P45 million to expand its location to Cebu City

Pandemic to hurt BPOs with first revenue decline in 11 years

The coronavirus pandemic is leaving nothing unscathed, not even the digitally-inclined business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, a critical dollar earner and job-generating sector now poised for its first revenue decline in 11 years and slower future growth

Davao City back to GCQ as COVID-19 cases rise

President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown of Davao City will revert to a general community quarantine (GCQ) status until November 30 following a spike in COVID-19 cases in the city, Malacañang announced Friday

Outsourcing industry slashes revenue goals amid pandemic

The outsourcing industry once again cut its revenue and employment targets up to 2022, as growth is expected to be flat for the rest of the year due to on-going lockdown measures

India: Liberalized Regime for Business Outsourcing Services

The information technology industry in India got a huge fillip on November 5, 2020, when the Department of Telecommunications (“DoT”) issued the “New Guidelines for Other Service Providers (“OSPs”) (“New Guidelines”), superseding the earlier “Terms and Conditions – OSP Category”, as amended from time to time (“Old Framework”). Importantly, the New Guidelines liberalize the scope of the regulation by only regulating voice-based Business Process Outsourcing services (“BPO”), along with completely doing away with the registration requirements for OSPs

The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Flight Support Operations

Among the biggest challenges aircraft owners face is finding quality people to operate their aircraft. Finding pilots, cabin crew and other staffers may seem daunting, but outsourcing flight operations has a number of benefits

DOH monitors COVID spike in Davao City; deaths near 8K

THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said it is closely monitoring the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation in Davao City, two days after it was tagged as a “hotspot of serious concern” by the OCTA Research Team

No ECQ, MECQ despite “very alarming” surge in COVID-19 cases in Davao City

National Task Force (NTF) Covid-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez on Wednesday ruled out placing Davao City under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or Modified ECQ despite the “very alarming situation” brought about by the surge in COVID-19 cases

4 COVID-era trends impacting the business process outsourcing industry

From Asia to America and beyond, the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic

PHILIPPINES – ONLINE RECRUITMENT TUMBLES 15% IN SEPTEMBER: MONSTER EMPLOYMENT INDEX

Online recruitment in the Philippines decreased by 15% in September 2020 when compared to September 2019, according to data from the Monster Employment Index

2020 English Proficiency Index: Philippines out of world's Top 20 but is No.2 in Asia

The Filipino people's English competency in 2020 placed seven spots lower on a global proficiency index compared to last year

BPO industry seen performing better vs PH economy this year

The Philippine business process outsourcing sector will perform better than the Philippine economy this 2020. But it won’t see growth in revenues either

16 Essential Things To Consider When Hiring An Outsourced Tech Partner

When a company is under a budget crunch, tech leaders may choose to outsource their projects to external companies and contractors. While this can save money over hiring an additional internal team member, it’s important to ensure that you’re partnering with the right people for the project

Outsourcing IT lays groundwork for great guest experiences

Providing a rewarding experience for customers had already been growing increasingly important for restaurant operators before the pandemic hit

Davao City Government defers 3 projects

THREE major infrastructure projects in Davao City would have to be set aside to a later date due to the decrease of income from local sources brought about by the severe economic impact of Covid-19

Davao City restricts movement, non-essential travels due to rise in COVID-19 cases

The move was recommended by the city’s COVID-19 task force due to a surge in the number of COVID-19 infections, now totaling 5,435, with 1,613 active cases based on latest data from the Health department

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Market Status and Trend 2020-2027 – Post Impact of Worldwide COVID-19 Spread Analysis

It is our aim to provide our readers with report for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Market, which examines the industry during the period 2020 – 2027. One goal is to present deeper insight into this line of business in this document

Work-from-home arrangement extended for ecozone BPO firms

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has allowed the IT-BPM industry to continue earning most of its revenues from work done at home until September next year as the pandemic reshapes even life in the office

4 COVID-era trends impacting the business process outsourcing industry

From Asia to America and beyond, the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic

Pandemic accelerates need to consider outsourcing, says Northern Trust

For many asset owners outsourcing front office services would often be a way to cut costs, but the recent pandemic has brought about other reasons to consider such a move

Is COVID-19 Upending Offshore Outsourcing?

Almost eight months into the pandemic, the disjointed international reaction to COVID-19 is causing serious disruption for American financial institutions that rely on offshore companies for call center, customer service, middle/back office and automation support

Software Outsourcing for Startups: A Guide to Fruitful Partnerships

Technology remains a lucrative business even in the times of a worldwide economic recession and uncertainty. Gartner projects the global IT spending to slide only by 8% in 2020 and recover slowly but steadily over the next year, and certain segments, such as remote working software and cloud services, will see an increase in spending

PH needs investor-friendly CREATE law: biz groups

Various industry associations want lawmakers to pass a Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bill that is investor-friendly and will attract more foreign direct investments (FDIs) as well as help in job generation

DTI launches ‘Make It Happen in the Philippines’ campaign

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) soft launched on Wednesday the ‘Make It Happen in the Philippines’ campaign to invite foreign investors and choose the Philippines as their next investment destination

76% of respondents plan to outsource at the same rate or more in the next two years

DXC Technology, Everis and Ibermtica are the technology service providers most valued by large Spanish companies, with a satisfaction rate of 83%

Foreign investors need specific investors' visa to enter the Philippines —BI

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday said foreign investors planning to go to the Philippines must have the required investors' visas to be allowed to enter the country as travel restrictions remain amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Peza repeats call to exempt locators from disincentives

With the number of Covid-19 cases zooming past 400,000, the regulator of economic zone locators reiterated a call to exempt exporters from the provisions of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (Create) bill

Pension obligations outsourcing trend in Germany ‘unbroken’, says Allianz

The German trend towards outsourcing and external funding of pensions obligations seems to be “unbroken”, said Marc Braun, member of the management board at Allianz Pensionsfonds

Advisers more likely to consider outsourcing due to Covid-19, says FlexShares survey

That's according to Northern Trust Asset Management’s FlexShares Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) sixth biennial study on financial advisers’ views and adoption of external investment management services

M&A opportunities emerging in PH

A new online report from a global research and advisory company has highlighted the opportunities emerging in the Philippines for investors looking for attractively priced assets

Safe Davao QR: registration errors continue as deadline looms

The Safe Davao QR registration site for individuals was activated yesterday amid the news that the city once again got the highest number of new Covid-19 positive cases in the country. As of last night, Davao City residents reported multiple errors coming from the site when they attempted to register

RCEP: Asia-Pacific countries form world's largest trading bloc

Fifteen countries have formed the world's largest trading bloc, covering nearly a third of the global economy. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is made up of 10 Southeast Asian countries, as well as South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand

Central banks in Singapore and the Philippines to work together on data connectivity

The central banks of Singapore and the Philippines issued a statement of intent on Monday (Nov 16) that they will work together on data connectivity

PEZA reports P72.6-B committed investments

Investment pledges approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) continued to pour albeit at a slower pace, reaching P72.645 billion only as of October this year or 26.86 percent lower than the P99.322 billion approvals in the same period last year

No removal of taxes on electronic learning devices - Fayval Williams

Citing financial reasons, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Fayval Williams, has indicated that the Government will not be entertaining calls for the removal of taxes on tablets and other electronic learning devices

Peza repeats call to exempt locators from disincentives

PEZA rejects options on CREATE

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has rejected options offered by legislators and economic managers in the propose Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) and insists on its request to exempt exporters from the tax reform

Jobs, MSMEs get backing at world’s biggest FTA

Jobs for Filipinos and integration of local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) into the global value chain are among the promises that the world’s largest free trade bloc brings to the table following its formal creation in signing ceremonies yesterday after eight years of intense negotiations

Everise empowers agents to work anywhere using Microsoft technology

Everise, a business process outsourcing (BPO) company, tapped Microsoft to transform the customer experience (CX) across all touchpoints for its clients

16.9%, 11.5% and a looming 2020 4th quarter three-peat

On the economic slump, uppermost in the minds of many Filipinos is this: Do we have a well-planned, viable way forward? Because there are two dueling forecasts, the one from the official side that suggests a full-year of moderate contraction (not more than 6 percent) and one from the multilateral institutions that forecasts a grimmer picture that the Philippines would be the Asean laggard this year

M&A opportunities emerging in PH

A new online report from a global research and advisory company has highlighted the opportunities emerging in the Philippines for investors looking for attractively priced assets

New employment opportunities in the ‘Land of Brave Heroes’

After 24 years of operations in the country, Teleperformance will be opening its first business site in Bacoor, Cavite

‘Beyond Bengaluru’ Initiative Launched To Build Innovation And Technology In Tier-II And III Cities

Focussed towards building innovation and technology ecosystem beyond Bengaluru City, the State Government has rolled out a new initiative “Beyond Bengaluru” at a time when ‘Work from Home’ or ‘Work from Anywhere’ has become normal due to COVID-19

Here are 5 reasons why work from office is better than work from home

However, now that the economy is being opened gradually with less COVID-19 restrictions in place, the government has made it easier for some industries to allow employees to work permanently from home

London security guard suspended for opposing outsourcing

Cetin Avsar, a trade union activist with United Voices of the World (UVW), had only spent three weeks working for outsourcing firm Wilson James, providing security at the Francis Crick Institute. Yet, on the 10th November he received a letter inviting him to a disciplinary hearing where faced dismissal, and was subsequently suspended

AMLO proposes ban on outsourcing to combat abuse of workers

President López Obrador sent a proposal to Congress on Thursday to ban subcontracting or outsourcing of jobs by private companies without prior government authorization

SYKES implements work-at-home setup

Top business process outsourcing player SYKES Cebu has beaten all challenges to deploy its more than 6,000-strong workforce to work at home until the health crisis eases

Europe's Muslims are European. Stop outsourcing their plight to foreign leaders

Terror attacks in France and Austria have put Europe’s 25 million Muslims back in the spotlight. The unwanted attention is familiar. Discussing Muslims as a security risk invariably reaches fever pitch after an Islamist-inspired terrorist act. This time the attackers came from Chechnya, Tunisia and one had roots in North Macedonia. But never mind: anxiety over the Muslim “enemy within” goes deep

No permanent job losses are expected, company tells Ohio

Dayton-based hospital network Premier Health is outsourcing nutritional and environment services that will affect more than 600 employees, according to a layoff notice sent to the state

DOF proposes P4.506T 2021 budget to rebuild economy

Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez said that the agency is proposing a P4.506 trillion national budget for 2021 “to provide us with the tools necessary to rebuild [the] economy

New Clark City to further improve internet and transportation infrastructure

Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO Hon. Vivencio Dizon announced that New Clark City (NCC) is looking to improve its internet connectivity and infrastructure by next year to further attract clients

Australian companies are looking beyond Asia for business process outsourcing services

For many organisations, business survival in a COVID-19 world has relied on their ability to reduce costs quickly. One way to lower costs and ensure business continuity in the wake of future disasters is to outsource key activities to affordable offshore locations

Outsourcing your business’ cyber security is as risky as outsourcing hotel quarantine security

There’s a major problem with the IT security of Australian businesses — we are outsourcing our cyber security to companies that aren’t up to scratch and it’s putting livelihoods at risk

Top Dominating Business Process Outsourcing Trends in 2020

BPO stands for a Business Process Outsourcing company that gives a variety of services some companies cannot provide for themselves either due to lack of suitable personnel or resources to fulfill the task. Examples of this would be chat systems, content moderation, web design, app development, and search engine optimization

How Outsourcing Can Help You Find New Efficiencies

Given the changes in our industry, most providers have been forced to take a deeper look at the way they do business, from the products they supply or are allowed to supply to the referral sources they trust will actually get them documentation

Picking The Right Partner When Outsourcing FinTech

The build-versus-buy debate continues as more non-bank enterprises decide to step into the world of financial services

Duterte welcomes free trade agreement

President Duterte is looking forward to a massive free trade agreement involving 15 countries to boost recovery prospects in the face of the coronavirus pandemic

PayPal CEO says investing in low-level employees will drive shareholder returns

PayPal executives were shocked to learn that some of its employees were financially insecure. Here’s how the $225 million company sought to fix that and why it believes the changes will improve stock returns

Healthcare BPOs see opportunity to upgrade PH systems amid pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for Philippine hospitals, clinics, insurance companies and government agencies to make their healthcare data systems more interoperable, an industry group of BPOs that handle healthcare information said on Wednesday

Offices, shops ordered closed in Bicol due to ‘Ulysses’

LEGAZPI CITY –– Offices and business establishments in at least three provinces of the Bicol region were ordered to close on Wednesday due to the heavy rainfall and strong winds spawned by Severe Tropical Storm “Ulysses.”

Davao City extends aid to more typhoon-affected areas

THE City Government of Davao has extended another batch of financial assistance to three areas in Luzon affected by Typhoon Quinta

Peso ends flat vs dollar

THE PESO was flat versus the dollar on Wednesday as the growth of domestic liquidity and bank lending eased in September and amid developments in trials of vaccines for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Market forces support outsourcing trend in PE

The coronavirus has been the single most influential event this year and has understandably had a significant impact on the private equity industry. Technology is playing a key role in how GPs are adapting to these pressures

Remote working is here to stay, says Ginni Rometty

Remote working and digital transformation plans won't go back to normal following the release a COVID-19 vaccine, according to IBM's former CEO Ginni Rometty

FDIs down 5.6% end August

The central bank-registered foreign direct investments (FDI) totalled $4.432 billion as of end-August, 5.6 percent down from same time in 2019 of $4.693 billion

IT outsourcing rising as Covid-hit global companies look to cut cost

Companies across the world that are hit by Covid and are under pressure to reduce cost are likely to favour outsourcing work to IT services providers in India over insourcing to their captive units in India. Many global companies are undertaking digital transformation initiatives following the Covid-19 pandemic

Know the pros and cons of outsourcing billing

Billing is a crucial part of every physician practice, no matter the size. To do it right requires dedicate billers and coders, and constant oversight of claims and reimbursements. Physicians may wonder when it’s time to outsource billing to a third party company. Dan Schulte, SVP of healthcare at HGS, a global business outsourcing company, offers some pros and cons for outsourcing

Slow recovery: Philippine economy slumps 11.5% in Q3 2020

The Philippine economy contracted at a slower rate of 11.5% in the 3rd quarter, as the government gradually eased restrictions despite continuously rising COVID-19 cases

PH seen to benefit from Biden presidency

The Philippines, along with the rest of Asia, stands to benefit from the Joe Biden presidency due to the expected reduction of risk from the US-China trade war, as well as less protectionism and a possible increase in government stimulus

Diokno expects PH economy's full recovery by 2022

MANILA – The growth normalization of the Philippine economy may be expected by 2022, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said on Thursday

No major changes in PH-US business relations under Biden – PCCI

Businesses in the Philippines do no see major changes in the business relations between the Philippines and the United States after Joe Biden was elected as America’s new president

Oct. inflation at 3-month high

Inflation accelerated to a three-month high of 2.5 percent year-on-year in October, from 2.3 percent in the previous month, driven by a combination of higher food prices, bigger tuition expenses and the still elevated transport costs

IT veterans hail easing of remote working norms

Technology industry executives on Friday welcomed the latest relaxations in compliance and remote working rules for business process outsourcing (BPO) and IT-enabled services (ITeS)

Digital shift seen key to outsourcing industry’s rebound

DIGITAL and workforce transformation in outsourcing, instead of cost cutting, will be the key to industry recovery, Accenture Senior Managing Director Ambe C. Tierro said

IMF: Philippines has room to support economy

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the Philippines has fiscal space to provide more support to the economy amid the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

India slashes red tape to make life much easier for outsourcers and outsourcing

India has done away with regulations that govern outsourcers, making it easier for existing players to let their staff keep working from home and for overseas companies to use Indian labour

PH seeks Arab investments for Mindanao

The Philippines is seeking investments from Arab countries on a wide range of sectors from agriculture to economic zone (ecozone) development to support the growth of Mindanao

How outsourcing can help the transport sector in Saudi Arabia

Public services company, Serco Middle East, explores why it has never been timelier for the transport sector in Saudi Arabia to embrace outsourcing to help with post pandemic recovery

Outsourcing sector lost P120B due to lockdown

THE OUTSOURCING SECTOR lost around P120 billion due to missed opportunities and unplanned expenses during the lockdown, an industry group said

U.K. to use A.I. to spot dangerous side effects in the millions of COVID-19 vaccinations it will deliver

The British government plans to use artificial intelligence software to spot any potential safety concerns with its planned mass vaccination program for COVID-19

BPO sector misses P120-billion business opportunities amid lockdown

The information technology and business process outsourcing sector reported P120 billion worth of missed opportunities and unplanned costs while on strict lockdown

Local IT-BPM workforce to remain stable amid pandemic

MANILA – Labor force requirement of the information technology and business process outsourcing (IT-BPM) sector in the country will remain stable amid the global health crisis, an industry executive said

Office property rebound seen

The office market take-up within and outside Metro Manila will rebound because of projected lower rents due to global economic recession and increase in available supply, according to property consultancy Lobien Realty Group (LRG)

Govt eases guidelines for BPOs, norms to facilitate ''Work From Home''

New Delhi, Nov 5 (PTI) The government on Thursday announced simplified guidelines for BPOs and ITES companies to reduce the compliance burden on them and to facilitate ''Work From Home'' and ''Work From Anywhere'' framework

JAPAN – OUTSOURCING TO ACQUIRE CPL RESOURCES IN €318 MILLION DEAL, Q3 REVENUE RISES SLIGHTLY FOR THE JAPANESE FIRM

Outsourcing Inc. (2427:TYO), the third-largest staffing firm in Japan, announced that it has agreed to acquire Irish recruitment firm Cpl Resources

7 Reasons for Outsourcing Business Development (And When to Go In-House)

Filling your sales pipeline is a high priority task that is often a major challenge. Many companies rely on their most outstanding salespeople to handle business development tasks such as routine prospecting

Davao mandates use of QR code

The use of quick response or QR code will be mandatory in this city to facilitate contact tracing

BPO sector misses P120-billion business opportunities amid lockdown

The information technology and business process outsourcing sector reported P120 billion worth of missed opportunities and unplanned costs while on strict lockdown

Govt eyes shift to MGCQ next year

The government might downgrade the classification of community quarantine in all areas in the country to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) by the first quarter of 2021, Malacañang said on Tuesday

PH economy on path to recovery: DTI chief

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez on Wednesday said that economic recovery is generally on the right path despite the decline in manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) in October

SYNNEX Board Approves SYNNEX and Concentrix Separation

SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX), a leading IT distribution, services, and integrated solutions company, today announced that its board of directors has approved the completion of its previously announced separation of SYNNEX and Concentrix, a leading global provider of customer experience (CX) solutions and technology, into two independent, publicly traded companies

TDCX Named 2020 ‘Best Employer Brand’ in the Philippines

Business process outsourcing services provider TDCX was awarded the “Best Employer Brand” during the Philippines Best Employer Branding Awards 2020

DOLE, DILG, DTI push staggered work shifts

The government has asked businesses to adopt multiple and staggered work shifts to allow more employees to do their jobs while protecting them from the virus as the economy recovers from monthslong lockdown

House panel passes bill declaring Davao City as PH cacao capital

The House of Representatives has begun to recognize the impact of the Duterte family’s efforts in developing Davao City’s burgeoning cacao industry

Cebu remains ideal IT-BPM hub; stakeholders laud Covid-19 efforts

CEBU’S Covid-19 response and its efforts to sustain the operations of the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) industry has cemented its stronghold as one of the ideal outsourcing hubs in the country

Receding PHL infection rate justifies further reopening

We have avoided the fresh firestorm now engulfing Europe because Filipinos are starting to learn how to live with the pandemic. Filipinos are sticking to the simple and basic health protocol of washing hands as often as possible, wearing face mask and social distancing

IT-BPM companies create pop-up sites outside cebu

DESPITE being challenged by the pandemic, the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) industry continues to thrive under the new normal supported by the leeway granted by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza)

DoLE: Employees can’t be forced to agree to extension of floating status

Although employers have been allowed to extend the floating status of their employees beyond the maximum six months provided for in the Labor Code, the Department of Labor and Employment said they cannot force their employees to agree to the extension

BPO firm Afni opens newest site in PH

U.S.-based business process outsourcing company Afni Inc. formally opens its third active site in the Philippines on October 27

JAPAN – OUTSOURCING INC. STRIKES DEAL IN JOINT VENTURE TO MAKE MICRO DEVICES

Outsourcing Inc. (2427:TYO), the third-largest staffing firm in Japan, announced it finalised a deal for a joint venture with Dexerials Corp. to manufacture micro devices. The joint venture, OSCC Co. Ltd., will begin operations on 1 January 2021

Davao City launches Safe Davao QR to help in curbing spread of COVID-19

The city government of Davao rolled out on Saturday the “Safe Davao QR” (DQR) to hasten the contact-tracing system, and prohibit non-essential movement of the people within the city

China's service outsourcing industry posts steady growth

China's service outsourcing industry reported stable growth in the first nine months of 2020, according to the Ministry of Commerce

DPWH awards contract for Davao City bypass construction project to Japanese Consortium

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has awarded the civil works contract for the initial implementation of the Davao City Bypass Construction Project

CTA junks BPO firm's P17-M VAT refund claim

The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has denied for lack of merit a petition for review filed by the local business process outsourcing (BPO) arm of American firm Wells Fargo Enterprise Global Services Inc. seeking a refund of PHP17.24 million in unutilized input value-added taxes (VAT) it paid in 2014

BSP sees below 2% inflation in December, January

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is projecting the inflation rate to fall below the two-percent level for the last month of December extending up to January next year, but it is no reason to start adjusting interest rates

Metro Manila faces highest office space vacancy since global financial crisis: Colliers

Colliers International said Thursday Metro Manila could post the highest office vacancy since the global financial crisis as offshore gaming operators vacate spaces and BPOs rationalize requirements due to COVID-19

BPO Sector to grow 5-7%

The information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) industry is seen to grow 5 to 7 percent in 2021, according to Mike Lytle, chief operations officer of Teleperformance Philippines

Largest elder phone scam in the country operated in Kansas

Sixty people have been charged in a widespread magazine telemarketing scam that authorities say netted $300 million from more than 150,000 elderly and vulnerable people nationwide, the U.S. attorney's office in Minnesota announced Wednesday

2 BPO operators to hire thousands of employees for new job locations

Business process outsourcing firm Teleperformance Philippines said Tuesday it launched a new site in Bacoor, Cavite and started the expansion in Quezon City that will open up at least 3,000 regular jobs for Filipinos

Global Telecom Network Outsourcing Industry

Global Telecom Network Outsourcing Market to Reach $78 Billion by 2027. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Telecom Network Outsourcing estimated at US$65 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$78 Billion by 2027, growing at aCAGR of 2

Office space vacancies continue to rise in Metro Manila

The business downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the shakeout of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) have caused massive losses across Metro Manila’s office properties in the third quarter, property consulting firm KMC Savills said

SM Foundation launches back-to-back farmers’ training in South

SINCE September, SM Foundation has been executing Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK) on Sustainable Agriculture in Davao City to diversify its reach so that more farmers will benefit from new farming technologies that would improve their yields and incomes

Mexican president pledges to ban outsourcing of jobs

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador proposed Tuesday a blanket ban on sub-contracting or outsourcing of jobs by private companies, saying the practice has been abused to avoid paying employees’ the benefits they are due by law

Davao office market weak

JLL Philippines said the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic softened the demand for office spaces in Davao, while majority of the supply is seen to be completed after 2023. In a webinar on Friday, the global real estate services firm said that much like the rest of the country, the Davao office market was also affected by the pandemic

Philippines allows 100% foreign ownership in large-scale geothermal projects —Cusi

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Tuesday confirmed that the Philippines now allows 100% foreign ownership in large-scale geothermal exploration, development, and utilization projects

Economist eyes sustained rise of BOP surplus

An economist forecasts a sustained rise of the country’s balance of payment (BOP) surplus which rose to USD6.88 billion in end-September, benefiting the peso and the foreign reserves

Office space vacancies continue to rise in Metro Manila

Pandemic shows up gaps in GDP metrics in region–Apec unit

THE pandemic has exposed gnawing gaps in the computation of GDP that would require countries in the Asia and the Pacific region to look beyond it, according to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Policy Support Unit (PSU)

City allows gatherings but issues stricter guidelines

THE City Government of Davao will still allow special gatherings despite its campaign against mass gathering to curb the spread of the Covid-19

US jails are outsourcing medical care — and the death toll is rising

Matthew Loflin was coughing up blood, struggling to breathe and losing consciousness in his cell while awaiting trial on drug-possession charges in this historic Southern city

More POGO workers seen to exit Subic

As online gaming operations catering to the Chinese market suffer from the Covid-19 pandemic and regulatory issues in the country, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said it expects a further decline in the number of Chinese nationals working in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) industry here

Strong recovery in capital flows to Asia-6 in 2021

Among emerging-market (EM) economies, six Asian countries have stood out as major benefactors of foreign capital flows in recent years

Outsourcing firms demonstrate resilience in the face of uncertainty

WITH THE COVID-19 pandemic dominating global news over the past nine months, the pharmaceutical industry has never been more in the spotlight – from the race to find a vaccine and develop effective treatments to a more general requirement to help consumers maintain their health and wellbeing as well as boost their immune systems

PEZA readies FDI plan

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is readying a contingency plan on how to attract more foreign direct investments (FDI) as more locators resume operations seven months after the quarantines

Philippines to begin accepting foreigners with investor visas on Nov. 1

Foreigners with investor visas will be allowed to enter the Philippines starting on November 1, Malacañang announced on Friday

Lapid wants stricter requirements for foreign contractors in Philippines

Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid has filed a bill seeking for stricter requirements that should be met by foreign contractors before securing a license to operate in the Philippines

Foreign capital inflow seen to plunge by 41% in 2020

The Philippines is seen to post the biggest drop in foreign capital inflows among emerging Asian economies this year even as the solid macro fundamentals prepandemic would facilitate a regionwide rebound next year, the Washington-based Institute of International Finance (IIF) said

SEC now allows conversion to one-person firm

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is now allowing companies to apply for conversion from an ordinary stock corporation to a one person corporation, and vice versa

How can technology help eliminate the job crisis in rural India?

In recent years, India has witnessed exponential economic growth. However, this growth hasn’t been inclusive enough to reduce the number of people living under poverty in the rural areas. According to the World Bank, India has around 270 million poor people, the largest number in the world. Serious employment growth is required in low-productivity agriculture, which makes up nearly three-quarters of the poor population

5 Benefits of Outsourcing Your Content Development

I’ve been in the content marketing game for 14 years, and for most of those, my focus was providing content services for small businesses. But over the past few years, I’ve started working with bigger brands. This surprised me initially

Davao Region GRDP shrinks in 2019

The gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of Davao Region decreased to 7 percent in 2019 from 8.6 percent reported for the entire year of 2018, according to the data released by the Philippines Statistics Authority

Leading BPO firm Alorica eyes hiring K-12 graduates

Senior high school students may soon find jobs in the outsourcing industry and work for one of the biggest firms in the country

DTI-EMB explores ‘vibrant’ processed food and beverage India export market

TO leverage on the growing demand for processed food and beverages in India, the Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB), the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in New Delhi, and the Board of Investments (BOI) and Invest India recently conducted a webinar on Exploring Trade and Investment Opportunities with India for Philippine Processed Food and Beverages

Outsourced smartphone development soars with Samsung's shift

Smartphone makers including Samsung Electronics have increasingly outsourced device development to maintain cost competitiveness, with these phones now making up more than a third of market

African governments are outsourcing their natural areas

All of these bulls will have ak-47 bullets in them,” says Leon Lamprecht. From his porch the manager of Zakouma National Park, in southern Chad, has quite a view. A dozen or so elephants slosh around in muddy puddles. These days they are safe. But between 2002 and 2010 some 4,000 elephants, 95% of Zakouma’s population, were slaughtered for their ivory by poachers from Sudan

IT outsourcing contracts see major rise for UK firms

IT outsourcing contracts among UK firms have seen a major spike in value over the past year, as shown by fresh figures from ISG

Outsourcing: The art of the outsourced deal

Outsourcing is no longer confined to back-office grunt work and has been moving gradually towards the more glamorous end of operations, including the buy-side dealing desk. A survey conducted by asset servicer Northern Trust showed that 85% of asset managers had either already outsourced some part of their trading function or were considering doing so

Best Practices When Outsourcing Revenue Cycle Management

Mission statements from healthcare organizations come in many shapes and sizes, but at the heart of all those missions is the intention to provide high-quality, patient-centered care that improves the health of those served by the provider

Philippines to Keep $26 Billion Outsourcing Engine Humming Despite Crisis

The Philippines’ $26 billion outsourcing industry expects to continue growing despite the risks brought by the coronavirus pandemic, but sees a three-year government support plan as key to boosting its competitiveness

Davao City: PRRD complies with protocol, gets tested

THE City Government of Davao has lauded President Rodrigo R. Duterte for complying with the requirement to present a 24 to 72-hour negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result before exit from the Davao International Airport (DIA) recently

310 families in Davao City get laptop donation

The consulate general of the People’s Republic of China in Davao City, together with the local government, provided laptops to 310 families on October 17

How Outsourcing Key Functions Can Give Your Startup A Competitive Edge

You have a great business idea that you’re ready to turn into a real business. However, you don’t have the technical skills to build the first version of your product, you don’t have the design skills to create a brand, nor do you have the marketing skills to bring it to consumers

How The Outsourcing Model Can Transitioning From BPO To BPA

We have witnessed the momentous rise of the outsourcing industry and how it reached its pinnacle due to globalization and digitization. More than 68% of businesses actively use outsourcing to improve their process efficiency, reduce costs and increase profitability

UK sees surge in IT outsourcing contracts

The value of UK outsourcing contracts across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) grew by 60% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with 2019, according to the latest ISG Index

US Medical Billing Company Selects Next BPO Solutions For Its First Venture Into Outsourcing To Philippines

A Medical Billing company out of Texas, USA has selected Next BPO Solutions as its service provider for its outsourced back office requirements. The Client has been providing medical billing services to private practitioners for years and has used the services of home-based contractors in the US for its back-office support. Looking to lower its support operations cost, the Client decided to check the possibility of outsourcing the back-office services to the Philippines.

Next BPO Solutions Team Helps Ensure Critical Telecoms Infra Are Up and Running

The major islands of the world are connected by submarine fiber optic cables. These cables provide the links necessary to conduct business in Europe, USA and across Asia. On the seas through which these submarine cables traverse are also hundreds if not thousands of merchant, fishing and private ships whose propellers and anchors can potentially cause fiber optic breakage. A single fiber optic damaged or cut would translate to Millions of US Dollars of restoration costs, not to mention the Billions of US Dollars of financial transactions that can be potentially lost.

Next BPO Solutions Announces Global Partnership with Carolina Wholesale Group

Davao City, Philippines, March, 2017 – Next BPO Solutions, Inc has combined forces with Carolina Wholesale Group (CWG) to grow its BPO Solutions Network. This new alliance will allow Next BPO Solutions, Inc to tap, not only into the financial resources of CWG, but also the wide network of relationships in the USA and other parts of the world.

Next BPO Solutions Marks Its 7th Anniversary

DAVAO CITY, PHILIPPINES – Davao City’s home-grown Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company, Next BPO Solutions, Inc. marks its seventh anniversary last July 10, 2016. The company was founded in 2009 by Xavier Eric B. Manalastas with a French-Canadian funding partner. When the funding partner decided to pull out of the business in early 2011, the remaining owners were faced with a dilemma of either shutting down the company or face the challenge and continue the operation with a fresh start. They chose to face the challenge and continue.

DTI: New businesses in Davao increase by 13%

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao Region reported that new business name registrations (BNR) in the region reached 10,811 from January to November this year, showing a 13 percent increase from 9,529 in 2013.

Game on: Online gaming developer sets up shop in Davao

DAVAO City’s thriving information communication technology (ICT) sector got livelier with the recent launch of the massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) Erectus in the city.

Maata Games is hosting a worldwide competition

Maata Games BV will be releasing an online game named Erectus™ in the spring of 2015. The game tells of the dramatic encounter between the Homo sapiens and Homo erectus that happened on earth 130.000 years ago. In the run-up to the game’s release, the company will be hosting a worldwide competition, the best drawing and the best name will be chosen and used by Maata Games BV in the Erectus™ game or used as inspiration for editing to create fitting elements in the game.