IBPAP and DTI-BOI convene and mobilize stakeholders at IT-BPM talent summit

The launch of the Philippine IT-BPM Industry Roadmap 2028 set a very lofty ambition for the sector—that of becoming the world’s number one experience hub for digitally-enabled and customer-centric services, while driving inclusive and sustainable economic and social growth for the country.

In achieving this, the industry is well-positioned to become a US$59 billion sector, with 2.5 million full-time employees (FTES) and an 8.9% contribution to the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) by the close of the next six years.

In line with this and the Acceleration Lever on Talent Development, the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) and the Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments (DTI-BOI) organized the IT-BPM Talent Summit to convene and mobilize the sector, government, and academe to help the Philippine IT-BPM industry leap ahead on its agenda on national upskilling, educational reforms, and career advocacy, among others.

“Our goal to create 1.1 million jobs is not going to be easy and it will necessitate the coordinated efforts of a multi-stakeholder coalition across the next six years,” said Jack Madrid, IBPAP President and CEO. “This is non-negotiable. We can’t delay any longer on getting a scalable, strategic, and sustainable talent attraction and development program off the ground if we want to see and feel its positive impact on the sector and the competitiveness and employability of Filipinos by 2028.”

A big push in this direction, IBPAP and DTI-BOI signed a “Statement of Commitment to Implement a Five-Year National Development Program for the IT-BPM Industry” during the Summit alongside other government agencies: the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).

Anchored on the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, the Statement of Commitment outlines specific activities under four key areas of focus: Talent Development Through Upskilling and Reskilling of Potential and Existing Workforce, Marketing and Promotion, Talent Hub, and Policy and Regulatory Support. It also designates which of the involved parties is responsible for certain initiatives and programs to ensure that goals are met within the set timeline.

In support of the Statement of Commitment, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual said that “Strengthening the country’s IT-BPM sector requires a multi-stakeholder partnership—government, academe, and the industry. The signing of the Statement of Commitment serves as a testament to the Philippine government’s unwavering support and dedication to the growth and expansion of the IT-BPM industry.”

“With the concerted efforts of all of us here and other stakeholders, we can develop a skilled, globally competitive workforce that will propel our IT-BPM industry to greater heights,” he added.

The IT-BPM Talent Summit, which was held on April 26 at the Makati Diamond Residences, gathered around 250 people from the sector, government, and academe. The program featured panel discussions on “Emerging Skills & Jobs in the IT-BPM Industry”, “Reforms in Education”, and “National Talent Upskilling”; plenaries on “Future-proofing Digital Talent Needs for Economic Growth” and “Sharpening Focus on Skills Development for the Philippines”; messages of support from agency heads; the launch of the “Youth Can Make It Happen Campaign”; and presentations by IBPAP’s partner associations.