IBPAP, SEIPI partner to boost exports

MANILA, Philippines — The IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) and the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Association (SEIPI) have partnered for various initiatives aimed at boosting the country’s exports.

In a statement, the IBPAP said it recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with SEIPI as both groups recognized the need for the alignment in their priorities for the future.

“The partnership is geared towards amplifying the positive impact of their respective sectors in driving economic progress, fostering innovation, and promoting environmental, social & governance (ESG) initiatives in the country,” IBPAP said.

The group emphasized that the IT-BPM sector and the semiconductor and electronics industry contribute significantly to the Philippine economy in terms of jobs and revenues, adding that combined, they account for more than 20 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“This historic collaboration marks a pivotal milestone in the Philippine business landscape, uniting the country’s leading commodity exporters in a strategic effort to bolster exports and propel the nation’s economic growth,” SEIPI president Dan Lachica said.

“The partnership is poised to harness the collective strengths of SEIPI and IBPAP, heralding a new era of innovation, efficiency, and global competitiveness for the Philippine export industry,” he said.

The MOA covers five key areas of cooperation which aim to help accelerate the growth of both industries in the Philippines.

Among these areas include ease of doing business, ESG agenda, industry development, investment promotion and job creation, and technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

Under the ease of doing business, the partnership seeks to create a more business-friendly environment through consistent engagement with the national and local governments and by advocating for policy reforms that simplify and streamline business processes for investors.

In terms of ESG agenda, the partnership aims to collaborate on initiatives that address current and emerging social, environmental, and corporate governance issues.

For industry development, the groups look to foster higher value business process outsourcing (BPO) services in the semiconductor and electronics sector for Research & Development and Integrated Circuit Design.

In the area of investment promotion and job creation, the groups seek to attract and retain investors through comprehensive marketing and communication strategies, which enhance job opportunities.

Under the technology and AI area, the partnership seeks to leverage on new technologies such as AI to improve the inventory of practices of both industries, encourage knowledge sharing, and implement projects to promote the use of other emerging tools.

“This reaffirms IBPAP’s commitment to drive the sustained growth of the IT-BPM sector, generate more employment opportunities for Filipinos, and enable our economy’s upward trajectory,” IBPAP president and CEO Jack Madrid said.

“Guided by the Philippine IT-BPM Industry Roadmap 2028 and in line with the IT-BPM ESG Program, we will continue to engage with our stakeholders in the government, academe, and allied sectors such as the Semiconductors and Electronics industry,” Madrid said.