When it comes to calling up customer service, odds are people worldwide will end up talking to a Marcus in the Philippines. After all, the country—along with India India The Ken Southeast Asia The Philippine creative industry's long-winding road to its own hallyu Read more —dominates the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. In the past three years, though, the call-centre business in the “Pearl of the Orient Seas” has undergone a subtle transformation: a migration of professionals from the urban jungle of Metro Manila to low-key locales such as Iloilo, Bohol, and Cebu.
Before the pandemic, 75% 75% Asian Development Bank Leveraging Service Sector Growth in the Philippines Read more of the Philippines’ IT professionals worked in Metro Manila—the centre of BPO companies since the early 1990s. Now, it’s down to 50% 50% Business World BPO firms expanding to provinces with more workers – KMC Savills Read more , according to real-estate services provider KMC Savills.
Rest assured, the BPO sector is poised to thrive thrive Philippine Star Credit OFWs, BPOs for recovery Read more . In 2022 alone, it generated a revenue of US$32.5 billion, more than 8% 8% Nikkei Asia Philippine BPO industry beats 2022 targets with hybrid work setup Read more of the national GDP GDP Trading Economics Philippines Full Year GDP Growth Read more . It’s only that a shift in the way the industry operates is transforming Manila as well as the country’s economy.
The exodus is spreading BPO facilities across the nation as prospects for growth emerge in other regions.
Mark Ong, a 28-year-old BPO employee, packed up his life in Manila and returned to his hometown Iloilo City—an island 1,400 km south of Manila. He said lower costs of living and fluid remote work arrangements led him to the decision. That’s also why 11% 11% Philippine News Agency 41K Ilonggos find full-time employment in 103 BPO firms Read more of the city’s population now works in BPOs.
