5 Japanese firms looking to invest in IT here

MANILA, Philippines - At least five Japanese firms may invest in the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry in the Philippines, an industry official said.

“There were at least five Japanese companies that visited the Philippines earlier to do due diligence to determine if they will invest here or outsource,” Information Technology and Business Processing Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) president Jose Mari Mercado said in a press conference yesterday.

He said 14 IT Filipino companies went to Japan earlier this year for a forum organized by the Philippine embassy there to promote the country’s IT competency.

The forum was attended by 150 Japanese businessmen.

“Our key message there on our IT competency is that we have the people and resources,” Mercado said.

“Japan is running out of these resources,” he said further.

He noted that apart from the five companies, there were others which expressed interest in IT programming,animation, as well as contact centers here,” he said.

The IBPAP is hopeful that the Japanese firms would decide to invest here.

Mercado said that currently, there are at least 20 Japanese firms that have outsourced some of their operations here.

Among these firms is Fujitsu, which has its IT support operations here.

Most of the Japanese firm’s IT-BPM operations here are in finance or accounting services and IT support.

The Philippines has been recognized as the global leader in terms of voice IT BPM services.

In terms of non-voice services,the Philippines is the second most preferred location in the world next to India.