The IT/Business Process Management Industry Association of Cebu
The IT/Business Process Management Industry Association of Cebu
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Unveiling Cebu's Captivating Charms:
Unveiling Cebu's Captivating Charms:
Here's why choosing Cebu is the ultimate experience!
Cebu City an investment haven:
Cebu City an investment haven:
Prepared by Cebu Investment Devt. Concierge Center (CIDCC) & Cebu City Govt.
1st Cebu BPO Day celebrates milestone moments in the it-bpm industry
March 28, 20251st Cebu BPO Day celebrates milestone moments in the it-bpm industry
The inaugural Cebu BPO Day, held from March 27 to 29, 2025, at Ayala Malls Central Bloc in Cebu IT Park, celebrated the city’s thriving IT-BPM industry with a series of engaging events. Organized by the Cebu City Government and Cebu IT/BPM Organization (CIB.O), in partnership with Ayala Land, Inc., the three-day affair highlighted the sector’s economic contributions, talent, and innovation.
The opening program on March 27 featured keynote speeches from key stakeholders, including Councilor Francis Esparis, author of City Ordinance No. 2379 (BPO Day Ordinance of 2023), which recognizes the industry’s impact on Cebu’s economy. The BPO Expo and Talent Connect brought together industry leaders, government officials, academics, and professionals, showcasing advancements in job creation and economic growth.
Honoring the Pillars of Growth
Cebu's IT-BPM success was celebrated through special recognition of five foundational partners:
TESDA - "For empowering thousands of Cebuanos with world-class technical skills..."
PEZA - "For creating economic zones that attract global investments..."
BOI Visayas - "For fostering an investor-friendly ecosystem..."
Ayala Land, Inc. - "For developing spaces where innovation thrives..."
CIB.O - "For uniting the industry and advocating for excellence..."
BPO’s Got Talent Winners
One of the celebration’s most anticipated highlights was the first-ever BPO's Got Talent singing competition, which brought the house down with incredible performances from 21 talented individuals representing various IT-BPM companies.
Champion: Ms. Kimberly Kate Saludar (Wipro Philippines)
1st Runner-up: Mr. Triphonnie Español (Lexmark R&D Corp.)
2nd Runner-up: Ms. Sheila Marie Templado (Northern Lights Technology Dev. Corp.)
The champion took home ₱20,000, a trophy, and an MBA scholarship, among other prizes. The celebration also honored BPO employees with free bus rides, courtesy of GET Green Transport and Cebu City’s Green City Buses.
With overwhelming participation and positive feedback, the success of Cebu BPO Day 2025 sets the stage for even bigger celebrations in the future, reinforcing Cebu’s reputation as a global IT-BPM powerhouse. The event underscored the city’s commitment to talent development, digital transformation, and industry collaboration, leaving attendees inspired and eager for next year’s gathering.
CIB.O 2024 Transformation Summit Concludes with Resounding Success
June 29, 2024CIB.O 2024 Transformation Summit Concludes with Resounding Success
The highly anticipated CIB.O 2024 Transformation Summit and Expo concluded on Friday, marking a significant milestone in the global business and technology sectors. The one-day summit and expo, held at the Grand Ballroom of Marco Polo Plaza Hotel in Cebu, brought together industry leaders, innovators, and visionaries to explore and discuss the future of business transformation in the digital age. The summit was co-presented by the Danao City Local Government.
Highlights of the Summit
1. Keynote Addresses from Industry Leaders: The summit featured inspiring keynote speeches from renowned figures such as IBPAP President Jack Madrid and Hon. Thomas Mark Mix Durano, Mayor of Danao City, Cebu. Their insights on digital transformation and sustainable innovation captivated the audience.
Two slides from Jack Madrid highlighted his presentation: “In 2023 we had 8.2% more people (1.7 million) employed in the ITBPM industry and earning 35.5 billion dollars. This was more than the OFW dollar remittances. It is the biggest dollar earner category for the country. This year we expect to employ 1.82 million and earn some 38 billion dollars."
Danao City Mayor Mix Durano emphasized that “Danao is more than ready to become the next Digital Frontier and ITBPM hub in the north. With a dynamic local government leadership, and thriving ecosystem, we are more than ready to host companies that are keen on locating in our city.”
2. Cutting-Edge Panel Discussion: Attendees had the opportunity to participate in a cutting-edge panel discussion covering topics such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, talent development, and sustainable business practices among others. These sessions provided valuable knowledge and practical skills to drive transformation in various industries.
3. Innovative Product Launches: Several companies chose the summit as the platform to unveil their latest technological advancements. Notable launches included a revolutionary AI-powered HR/Talent Development tool by Jobs on Demand (JOD), and a groundbreaking green building showcase by JEG Tower. Other exhibitors also showcased their products and services that are found useful to the ITBPM industry.
4. Networking Opportunities: The summit facilitated extensive networking opportunities, enabling attendees to connect with peers, potential partners, and investors. The interactive networking sessions were instrumental in fostering collaborations and business growth.
5. Recognition of Excellence: The summit concluded with the CIB.O IT-BPM Awards Ceremony, honoring organizations who have made significant contributions to the field of digital transformation. Awards were presented in the following categories:
TOP 10 IT-BPM COMPANY CATEGORY (In Alphabetical Order):
Accenture Inc.
Cognizant Technology Solutions Philippines, Inc.
Conduent Business Services Philippines, Inc.
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
OfficePartners360, Inc.
Qualfon Philippines Inc.
Synchrony Global Services Philippines Inc.
Tech Mahindra Ltd.
Teleperformance
Wipro Philippines, Inc.
TOP 3 TRAILBLAZER EXCELLENCE AWARDEES CATEGORY:
Innodata Knowledge Services Inc.
Lexmark Research & Development Corporation
Teleperformance
TOP 3 EMERGING VISIONARY AWARDEES CATEGORY:
Dexcom Philippines, Inc.
Sansan Global Development Center Inc.
XP Plus Solutions Inc.
Quotes from Participants
Jack Madrid, President of IBPAP remarked, "The CIB.O 2024 Transformation Summit has been an incredible platform to share ideas and explore the future of digital transformation. The level of engagement and innovation here is truly inspiring."
CIB.O President Aseem Roy stated, "This summit has set a new benchmark for industry events. The exchange of knowledge and the unveiling of cutting-edge technologies have been phenomenal."
Looking Forward
“The success of the CIB.O 2024 Transformation Summit underscores the importance of continuous innovation and collaboration in driving business transformation. As the summit concludes, the organizing committee extends heartfelt thanks to all sponsors, speakers, and attendees for their contributions to making this event a resounding success,” stated Summit Chair Darwin John Moises.
CIB.O Executive Director Buddy Villasis added: “Plans are already underway for the 2025 Transformation Summit, which promises to be even more impactful, with a focus on emerging technologies and global business trends. Pre-summit events are also being planned in collaboration with the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines.”
Capturing Moments from CIB.O Townhall Meeting
March 15, 2024Capturing Moments from CIB.O Townhall Meeting
CIB.O extends our heartfelt gratitude to all who participated and joined us at our special townhall meeting on Friday, March 15, 2024, in celebration of International Women's Month.
More than just a gathering!
The event was a dynamic talk show experience featuring esteemed guest speakers and panelists who engaged us in captivating conversations about:
-Breaking Barriers: We heard inspiring stories of women operating heavy machineries, challenging stereotypes, and paving the way for others.-Strength in Diversity: We celebrated the unique identities of women, highlighting the power of embracing our differences.
-Empowering Women: The discussions focused on fostering self-worth, recognizing individual value, and making autonomous choices.
-Equal Opportunities: We explored women's right to influence and advocated for equal chances to contribute meaningfully.
-Thriving Together: We emphasized providing access to resources and opportunities to help women succeed.
Welcoming 9 New Members!
Our community grew even stronger with the induction of 9 new members from the IT-BPM industry and support group:
-Acceltech Philippines, Inc.
-CIBI Information, Inc.
-Guthrie-Jensen Consultants, Inc.
-MVP.dev
-NCR Commerce Phils Inc.
-Sprout PH
-Strategic Office Support
-Sodexo On-Site Services Philippines Inc.
-WeSupport Inc.
WIPRO PHILS COUNTRY HEAD TAKES THE HELM AT CIB.O
May 26, 2022 WIPRO PHILS COUNTRY HEAD TAKES THE HELM AT CIB.O
The CIB.O Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the assumption of MR. ASEEM ROY as President of Cebu’s most prominent IT/BPM industry association, the Cebu IT-BPM Organization (CIB.O). He took over the presidency from Mr. Pert Cabataña who retired earlier this month. Aseem enthusiastically accepted the role with all of his heart and wisdom, and promised to direct the organization to fulfill its organizational vision.
Aseem previously served as the organization's Vice President, simultaneously handling its International Relations portfolio. He has a rich and diversified experience managing businesses in three international locations that cover multiple customers and people in complex technology landscapes.
Congratulations President Aseem!
ASEEM ROY’S PROFILE:
He counts over ten years of work experience in the APJ region in his 20+ years stint with Wipro Ltd. He has managed different portfolios of service delivery, transition, process excellence, green field setup, and now leads the geo delivery for Wipro Ltd in ASEAN.
He is a Six Sigma professional, a commerce graduate with MBA in information systems, and is avidly involved in driving Wipro’s digital offerings and business strategy at the regional level. He has been the fundamental driving force in making Wipro amongst the major India-headquartered company in the Philippines and the largest private employer in Cebu City.
WIPRO PHILIPPINES, INC. PROFILE:
The company is a regional subsidiary of Wipro Limited, a leading global information technology, consulting and business process-services company. Wipro harnesses the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help their clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship. Wipro currently has over 200,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents.
Wipro Philippines, a Hall of Famer in International ICT Awards, boasts of five sites in the Philippines, all of them are ISO 27001:2013 certified. All sites undergo SSAE16 audit on an annual basis to ascertain ITGC controls standardization across the organization.
Wipro Philippines received unqualified audit report in the last 2 years from SSAE16 standpoint, signifying that the governance and control mechanism implemented across Wipro Philippines are benchmarked globally and are best in class.
CIB.O APPOINTS NEW
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
May 18, 2021 CIB.O APPOINTS NEW
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Board of Trustees of Cebu IT/BPM Organization (CIB.O) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Salvador “Buddy” Villasis as Executive Director. Mr. Villasis, stepped into the organization, replacing Mr. Wilfredo “Jun” Sa-a who retired last year.
Mr. Villasis packs with him a strong background in commerce and development communication; international trainings in trade facilitation and customs operations during his brief stint with the United Nations Trade Point program. He previously served as Executive Director of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI). His trainings in “intellectual property” with IPOPhils and the World Intellectual Property Organization contributed to the realization of CCCI’s appointment as one of the Innovation and Technology Support Offices (ITSO) in Cebu. He has over 20 years of progressive experience in international trade consulting, business franchising, distribution, logistics, shipping, intellectual property, investments, portfolio management, and trade facilitation in general. He currently serves as business development consultant and independent director of private companies.
As CIB.O Executive Director, Mr. Villasis will be responsible for the daily operations of the organization ensuring that policies, programs and projects are implemented according to the directions set by the organization.
He will oversee budgeting, personnel and strategic planning among other tasks ensuring that the interests of the organization’s members are served effectively in line with CIB.O’s vision that Cebu will be the international choice IT/BPM location for higher value services and to develop and promote the strengths of Cebu and sustain the growth of its IT/BPM industry.
IT/BPM Industry:
Economic Driver of Cebu
IT/BPM Industry:
Economic Driver of Cebu
A decade and a half ago, during the largest annual event outside Manila, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (CCCI) Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2005, with the theme ‘Cebu Gearing Up for Global Play’, the IT/BPM industry got strategically recognized as one of the twin-win economic drivers of Cebu. The other economic driver was the Tourism industry with the flagship countryside tourism promotion program, ”SuroySuroy Sugbo’ launched during the same CBM event.
The accompanying aggressive marketing and promotional campaigns, which included road shows in Bangalore and Hyderabad in India, Beijing and Shanghai in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, culminated in the holding of the country’s first IT/BPM international conference in June 2005 in Cebu.
Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was guest of honor and keynote speaker, and the signature event attracted international speakers, delegates, and more importantly, industry investors who would later invest in the first IT economic zone outside Luzon, Asiatown IT Park which was later renamed Cebu IT Park (CITP), as well as in other areas of Cebu City.
So strong was the industry growth that after finishing a one-storey, 11,000 sq. meter building in 2005, high rise IT buildings started to sprout, resulting in a vibrant and dynamic IT Economic Zone.
The old Cebu Domestic Airport in 1989 (Photo by Mr. Fred Umabong)
Now transformed to Cebu IT Park(Photo by Mr. Art Balaga of Style Assembly Multimedia)
THE CONTACT CENTER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD SINCE 2010-PHILIPPINES: CEBU NEXT TO MANILA
THE CONTACT CENTER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD SINCE 2010-PHILIPPINES: CEBU NEXT TO MANILA
The phenomenal growth of the IT/BPM industry in Cebu reached its tipping point in 2010. That year saw the conversion of a 50-hectare Cebu Business Park (CBP) into a much larger economic zone. This happened during the final years of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) who, after seeing the Cebu IT Park as a great success formula, challenged the former president of Cebu Holdings, Inc. (CHI), Francis Monera, to produce another economic zone in Cebu.
It transpired that CHI’s Monera had already worked with PEZA’s Director General Lilia de Lima on an Economic Zone Certificate for CBP that only lacked a Presidential Proclamation. On the spot, GMA announced CBP as a much bigger economic zone. The Presidential Proclamation was followed by an all-time high construction boom in the following years, particularly in Cebu Business Park (see Photo 3 showing the transformation of the former Club Filipino de Cebu golf course into a full blown business and financial district).
The Former Club Filipino Golf Course
Now transformed to Cebu Business Park (Photo by Mr. Art Balagaof Style Assembly Multimedia)
A GRAPH REFLECTING THE BOOM IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AFTER 2010
A GRAPH REFLECTING THE BOOM IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AFTER 2010
Direct employment which was estimated at 1,200 in 2001 has exponentially grown to around 170,000 in 2019. The diversity of expertise offered by the outsourcing industry such as call center operations, IT outsourcing, shared services operations, research and development, engineering services, to banking/insurance services, and the health information management services has since widened and deepened in terms of complexity. Due to this the Philippines, particularly the cities of Manila and Cebu, were recognized as the “Contact Center Capital of the World”. As the country strengthened its position in the industry, it became imperative for major contact center companies to establish a location in the country with Cebu being a top choice due to the city’s considerable amount of English-speaking talent, as well as a neutral accent within the province.
In 2008 Cebu City was catapulted to No. 1 in the listing of the Top 50 Emerging Global Outsourcing Cities, and peaked at the No. 7 spot on the Global Outsourcing Destinations listing of 2016, with both recognitions granted by Tholons Digital Marketing Index - a full-service strategic advisory firm for global outsourcing advisory and investments.
On the 2017 list of Super Cities of the World, Cebu City’s position dipped to No. 12 after Tholon’s changed the criteria to incorporate the Innovation Ecosystem and Digital Transformation in their new list. On the 2019 list, Cebu City inched up to No.11.
Looking back, the Cebu Educational Development Foundation for IT (CEDFIT) was formed during the First Cebu IT Summit in March 2001. CEDFIT is a consortium of IT industry players and universities/colleges responsible for Cebu’s human resource development. It was transformed on May 22, 2017 into what is now popularly known as Cebu IT/BPM Organization (CIB.O) during the Transformation Summit, which is now a full-time industry association dedicated to sustain Cebu’s IT/BPM industry as it shifts towards providing higher value IT and IT-enabled services.
CIB.O BOARD OF TRUSTEES TOASTS CEDFIT’S TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS, CIB.O’S PROSPECTS, AND CEBU’S IT/BPM INDUSTRY’S GROWTH AND PROSPERITY.
CIB.O BOARD OF TRUSTEES TOASTS CEDFIT’S TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS, CIB.O’S PROSPECTS, AND CEBU’S IT/BPM INDUSTRY’S GROWTH AND PROSPERITY.
According to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Cebu City is home to more than 300 IT/BPM locators, with an estimated 170,000 directly employed individuals as of December 2019, according to industry estimates. The income generated through direct employment is estimated at Php33.2 billion annually, with an additional Php53.0 billion from indirect employment. This brings the total income contributed by the outsourcing industry to about Php86.2 billion per year in the local economy of Cebu. The industry's advantage of offering pay grades above the minimum wage provides the new middle class in Cebu with greater disposable income. This means the industry not only channels money through its expenditures but also increases disposable income circulating within the province.
(L-R: CIB.O President Gregg Gabison, CIB.O Vice President Elena Palacios, CIB.O Trustee Anthony Noel, CIB.O Chairman Francis Monera, CIB.O Trustees Franklin Pasayloon, Edwin Paul and Jigger Escario, and CIB.O Managing Director Jun Sa-a)
THE DIVERSITY OF CEBU’S OUTSOURCING INDUSTRY
THE DIVERSITY OF CEBU’S OUTSOURCING INDUSTRY
Cebu is home to most of the big outsourcing players present in Metro Manila such as Concentrix (formerly Convergys), Teleperformance, Accenture, Teletech, ePerformax, JPMorgan and Chase, IBM, Optum, Conduent ,QBE, Manulife, Results, Telstra, EXL, etc. Further, the city proudly boasts of some of its Cebu-based operations such as Lexmark R & D and Lexmark Shared Services, Lear’s Philippine Engineering and Technology Center, NEC, Qualfon, Dash Engineering, Inc., AZPIRED, NCR’s R & D, Mercedes-Benz Shared Services, Wipro, Bombardier, Author Solutions, Ameeratel, Alliance Software and FPT Software. Cebu City continued to capture some new players Amazon, Fujitsu, Dover Business Solutions, and Kuehne + Nagel.
FROM CEDFIT TO CEBU IT BPM.ORGANIZATION (CIB.O)
FROM CEDFIT TO CEBU IT BPM.ORGANIZATION (CIB.O)
With the exponential growth of the IT/BPM industry of Cebu, making it one of the “twin-win” economic drivers earlier stated, industry and academe leaders decided to transform CEDFIT into a full time industry association. CEDFIT thus became Cebu IT BPM.Organization, or CIB.O.
This transformation was launched during the 2017 “Transformation Summit” - the main IT/BPM industry event of Cebu. Beyond the usual human resource development activities, CIB.O is now officially marketing the city to potential locators, ensuring that the needs of the IT/BPM companies are addressed as related to both local and national concerns. CIB.O continues to organize the annual industry event now called the “Transformation Summit” to gather industry, academe, government, support groups, and other stakeholders to sustain the growth of the industry
CIB.O Chairman Francis Monera addresses the audience at the 2017 Transformation Summit held at Marco Polo Cebu
CIB.O gets the Flare Award in 2018
CIB.O CONTINUES TO TRAILBLAZE AND EVOLVE
CIB.O CONTINUES TO TRAILBLAZE AND EVOLVE
The great success of the IT/BPM industry in bringing jobs and business opportunities in Cebu City, has inspired other cities in the Philippines to convert their cities into IT/BPM Hubs; thus competition from within the country is heating up. But being the trailblazer, and blessed with our superb infrastructure- power/telco/international airport, the abundance of qualified talent and its strategic location, Cebu’s hold on the industry is deeply rooted. The highly collaborative IT/BPM ecosystem of Cebu, engineered by CIB.O, has always been a very crucial ingredient to its success.
The coming of Artificial Intelligence(AI), robotics, process automation, data analytics, higher value services, data security, and our K to 12 transition, are all becoming real challenges of the industry. Artificial Intelligence, robotics, and process automation may displace 30-50% of the BPM workers, but at the same time these developments create opportunities for higher value work requiring experience and more analytical skills. The higher value services that CIB.O and its members aspire to continue providing will require more skills, experience, and training for Cebu’s workforce. This, in turn, requires early exposure to computer aided education, augmented with online learnings. Cebu City has trained its senior high school teachers in the basics of Coding/ Programming in partnership with the Coders Guild of the Philippines, Cebu City School Board, Cebu City DepEd, DICT and CIB.O with the support of its members and the private sector.
The teachers started training the senior high students in five select public high schools in June 2019. The target was to initially train 200 students at the rate of 40 students per school but ended up with more than 500 students trained. These students will be for industry immersion starting in Nov 2020. The engagement of the students was surprisingly very good and some schools even finished the training in one semester, instead of the planned three semesters.
With this very positive response from the schools, CIB.O together with Cebu City School Board and Cebu City DepEd have decided to offer a more advanced Coding Training on introduction to Java Programming in April 2020. All this is designed to make Cebu City (in the very near future) the First City of Coders in the Philippines, with our partners. CIB.O is committed to improve the skills of our teachers and consequently the employable talents needed for the IT/BPM industry.
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