The Brain drain of Filipinos leaving to seek for work abroad has been happening annually over the past years reaching its peak of 1 million Filipinos leaving to work abroad just for the year 2006 alone. Information Communications Technology (ICT) through BPO is the sunshine industry sector that could provide the necessary alternative to the brain drain syndrome.
Third party expatriates who have first hand knowledge and experience of doing business in the Philippines as compared with other outsourcing destinations attest to this. Expats observe that doing business in the Philippines is very positive and encouraging. This acknowledgment needs to be brought forward to the attention and awareness of our Global Filipinos abroad.
Last December 13th-15th 2006, the Philippines USA Business Club (PUBC) of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) participated in the 100th Centennial Celebration of Filipinos in Hawaii. It was a great opportunity to share the good news to Filipino Americans in the US attending the summit about the positive news US CEOs have been experiencing in doing BPO services in the country.
As Chairman of the Committee on ICT of the Philippines USA Business Club (PUBC) – I would like to bring the news to the summit and share with them the favorable responses of US companies so that they will know how good we Filipinos are “world class” and globally acknowledged. All praises!
The PCCI ICT Domestic Strategy – is to report to the local businessmen about the prospects of entering into the “services exporting” business, as an alternative to the waning traditional exports business, which are now moving to China. This allows them to invest in a lucrative and promising industry, which is providing “back office” support services to US companies willing to outsource
their services to the Philippines.
But the common issue that crops amongst local businessmen is their inability to penetrate the US market where 50 percent of the global outsourced services comes from.
Yes, marketing is a key ingredient to the success of our BPO to our local businessmen. Filipinos are perceived weak in marketing. We need to strengthen our promotions and marketing to the US market. Tapping the rich networking potentials of our Filipino Americans who are by now in the middle management or decision level of most US companies can also facilitate in the marketing
efforts.
Hence, the PCCI ICT -International Strategy -- to communicate, convey and express the positive news to all Filipino Americans living in the US about the prospects of the Philippines being the number 1 outsourcing destination in the world. India is “king” in outsourcing today because of the successful networking and marketing that they did in the US. We Filipinos can unite and increase
our business activities, eventually making us the number 1 outsourcing destination in no time.
Our friends from India are threatened by this potential phenomenon.
Gatherings such as the December Fil-Am summit allowed me to inform our kababayans about the ICT opportunities that await them. Filipino Americans who have long stayed abroad have now disposable incomes, which they can invest wisely into “services exporting” initiatives which has tremendous rippling effect to our country and people if maximized to its fullest.
Two incentives await Filipino Americans who decide to go into ICT opportunities in the country.
The first is by just providing “market lead” referrals, of potential back office requirements of US companies. Fil-Ams will receive a “finder’s fee” out of any outsourcing contract signed out of the referral. This strategy is a good step for replicating potential long-term business continuity for those who are convinced about the prospects of services exporting.
The second incentive is they can enter into “joint venture” agreement or invest with Local Filipino businessmen who have decided to enter into the “back office” services. By entering into a Joint Venture Agreement, co-investing with local businessmen are assured of potential long-term market coming their way, as Fil-Ams will act as their guarantor in sustaining the viability of the Joint Venture. Besides it encourages synergy for overseas Filipinos helping their local kababayans in doing business in the country.
The event last year was just a first step towards networking with our Filipino Americans in the US.
We hope to do a 10 major city caravan in the US by 2007 and the years to come. What we need to do more is to perk up the awareness level, do extensive dissemination information promotions campaign to all the forty three (43) Filipino American Chambers of Commerce in the US.
As of this writing, the PCCI/PUBC initiatives have successfully conducted business opportunities with the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (PACCH), The Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Oregon (PACCO), which just had a successful trade mission to the Philippines last Feb 17-22 2007.
Discussions are ongoing with the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Chicago (PACCO), Dallas, Texas, Orange County California, Denver Colorado, Orlando Florida and Las Vegas Nevada. The PCCI through PUBC hopes to continue its networking business discussions with other Filipino American Chambers of Commerce within the US.
George C. Kintanar is the Chairman of the Committee on Information Communications Technology of Philippines USA Business Club (PUBC) of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
Article is submitted by Philfortune - Filipino American Business Directory. Philfortune provides a comprehensive Filipino American Business Directory and other listings for varied interests. It is an essential information hub and a corporate community of Fil-Ams.
