PEZA, IT-BPM sector target reforms

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines are stepping up policy advocacy efforts to maintain the country's competitiveness in the IT and business process management sector.

In a statement on Thursday, PEZA Deputy Director General Maria Veronica Magsino highlighted the need to further boost the Phil-ippines' stature as a top player in the global information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry. Progressive policies and incentives will sustain the industry's growth and draw more foreign direct investments, she pointed out.

The IT-BPM industry is a major contributor to the Philippine economy, generating over P200 billion in investments and providing nearly 1 million jobs.

Industry stakeholders have been advocating for regulatory reforms such as streamlined business registration process, improved digi-tal infrastructure and talent upskilling programs to meet global demands. They also discussed broader themes affecting the IT-BPM landscape, including geopolitics and workforce development.

Stratbase Group founder and CEO Victor Andres Manhit cited the Philippines' strategic role in the Indo-Pacific region and its impact on foreign investments in IT-BPM.

For his part, Department of Education Director Gerson Abesamis pushed for stronger industry-academe collaboration to align educa-tion programs with the digital and knowledge-based industries.

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Kiko Benitez talked about employment, calling on the in-dustry to tap the mandate of the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Law and scale up apprenticeships, on-the-job training and digital upskilling programs.

PEZA hosts more than 1,000 registered IT-BPM companies, which provide direct employment to some 980,000 Filipinos, with growth expected in the coming years.

In February, PEZA approved eight new and expansion projects in the IT-BPM sector, contributing to P22.77 billion in confirmed in-vestments for that month.

In the first two months of 2025, approved investments surged to P52.93 billion, 337.58 percent higher than the P12.09 billion in the same period of 2024.