BPO firms urge gov’t to fund AI upskilling programs

Words reading “Artificial intelligence AI”, miniature of robot and toy hand are pictured in this illustration taken December 14, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/file photo

The Philippines largest organization of information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) firms on Friday called on the government to prioritize funding for upskilling programs focused on artificial intelligence as part of a broader measure to help future proof the workforce of the $38-billion sector.

In a statement, The IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) recommended “proactive efforts” to prepare the country’s workforce for the transformative opportunities and challenges presented by AI.

“AI is not a distant challenge; it is a present reality reshaping industries and economies globally,” said IBPAP president and chief executive officer Jack Madrid.

“The IT-BPM sector has shown that early adoption of AI can create opportunities. However, we must not stop there. The Philippines must act decisively to prepare the broader workforce, leveraging our leadership in IT-BPM as a blueprint for other industries,” Madrid added.

READ: IMF sees 36% of PH jobs eased or displaced by AI

Aside from upskilling programs, the business group must also prioritize action for the integration of digital and AI-related skills into the national education curriculum.

The group noted that there are some developments already on this front, citing recent partnerships with the Department of Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority that have strengthened the foundation for scalable, competency-based training initiatives in critical fields.

“To complement these efforts, IBPAP has rolled out the Philippine Skills Framework for Contact Center and Business Process Management, which aims to upskill one million workers by 2028,” the IBPAP said.

Further, it said it is also helping achieve the goal to upskill the sector by equipping industry leaders with tools to adopt AI responsibly and implement ethical workforce transition strategies.

Earlier in October, the IBPAP said a poll of its members revealed that 67 percent are already actively implementing AI technology in their operations, highlighting the need for new policies to ensure the readiness of the sector to respond to issues that may arise from its use.

The contribution of the local IT-BPM sector to the country’s economy is projected to increase to eight percent by 2028 from seven percent in 2022 under ideal conditions.

This contribution to the economy is equivalent to $59 billion in annual revenues from the local IT-BPM sector, based on estimates by the industry group.