ON THE RIGHT TRACK: Western Visayas Eyes HIMS Capital Status by 2028

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Western Visayas must sustain the growth of its healthcare information technology and management sector to become the global capital of Healthcare Information Management Services (HIMS) by 2028.

JL Botor, vice president of the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP), said the region is already on the right track, with no other area in the country currently posing a challenge.

“You are treading on something that you may already have,” Botor said on June 25. “The claim that you have been doing for being the HIMS capital of the world is already happening on the ground.”

HIMS, the fastest-growing segment of the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry, involves obtaining, examining and utilizing both digital and traditional medical information to deliver high-quality patient care.

“What we need to see is continuous growth,” Botor added. “How do we sustain this and ensure that as this industry grows more we are allocating a sizable growth for the region?”

He urged the Department of Trade and Industry in Region 6 (DTI-6) to focus on expanding the local HIMS sector.

“The only additional thing we need to do is grow,” Botor said. “Grow this industry in this region.”

He cited the region’s strong infrastructure, investor-friendly business climate, culturally rooted caring values, skilled workforce and supportive government policies as competitive advantages.

To maintain momentum, Botor emphasized the need for collaboration with academic institutions.

He said education and training must align with industry needs, particularly in developing communication and soft skills among graduates.

“You are on the right track. You are not off,” he said. “We believe that there could still be growth even without our intervention. But with the interventions of both the government and the private sector, we can double it. We can triple it.”

According to HIMAP, there is strong hiring potential in voice-related services, clinical support roles requiring medical terminology, and revenue cycle management.

DTI-6 Director Rachel Nufable said improving local talent and communication skills is critical to meeting industry demands.

She emphasized that collaboration between the government, industry and academia is key to overcoming challenges, designing training programs and attracting more HIMS firms.

While Iloilo City remains the industry hub due to its economic scale, Nufable said DTI is also promoting investment in Roxas City, Capiz, and the province of Antique.

“We’re looking at the whole region, but of course we have to accept the limitations of some provinces,” she said.

She also identified sustained stakeholder engagement and long-term commitment as key challenges to industry growth.

DTI hosted its first-ever HIMS Conference on June 25-26 after outlining its vision earlier this year.

By 2028, the agency aims to attract at least 30 multinational HIMS companies, establish a privately led industry association, and create approximately 25,000 full-time jobs.

The sector is projected to generate revenue of PHP 28.88 billion.