The Philippine call center industry is aiming to grow in rural areas to support inclusive growth. The industry has set a target of having 40% of its workforce in rural areas by 2028.
The IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) has launched the Digital Cities 2025 initiative to transform rural areas into thriving business hubs. The program aims to create 25 digital cities across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The industry has seen significant growth in recent years, with revenue increasing from P29.5 billion in 2021 to P32.5 billion in 2022. The number of full-time workers in the industry has also increased from 1.44 million to 1.57 million.
It has also embraced diverse workflows to enhance service quality, with a specific focus on remote work and new technologies. About 30% to 40% of employees in the industry work remotely.
At the same time, the use of generative AI is considered as blessing rather than a curse. It is used to do repetitive tasks such as hiring, quality assurance, and feedback.
By 2026, the industry is expected to cut costs by up to $80 billion by replacing humans with AI chatbots. However, they continue to believe that AI will not replace jobs, but rather augment them.
