According to government and industry executives, Laguna and Cavite headed the list of the best outsourcing spots outside of Metro Manila and Cebu. The top 10 next-wave cities includes (in the order of ranking) Iloilo, Davao, Bacolod, Angeles-Clark-Mabalacat, Baliuag-Marilao-Meycauayan, Cagayan De Oro, Malolos-Calumpit and Lipa. The Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP), Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) released the said ranking.

The ranking of the different cities was based on different criteria such as availability of workforce, real estate, infrastructure and business surroundings, and regulatory metrics. The evaluation was done with the presence of a local government-business ICT council and government-certified economic zones. Region III provinces like Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna, and Cavite were criticized together based on their nearness. Sta. Rosa, Calamba, Los Banos, Cabuyao, and San Pablo were included in the locale of Metro Laguna while Metro Cavite comprises Dasmarinas, Bacoor, Imus and Cavite City. The criterion with 50 percent weight is talent, cities with good existence and those that are near the universities and colleges are benefited.

Also included in the top 10 list is Davao and Cagayan De Oro but both cities got low score in the business metrics criterion. The core basis of the judgment is the existing travel advisory to foreigners owing to the Mindanao. Davao has invested in different call center companies like US-based Sutherland which hire over 1,000 workers. The CICT commissioner Monchito Ibrahim said that despite this challenge, it doesn't stop local government executives from Davao, Cagayan de Oro even GenSan (General Santos City) from promoting outsourcing industry. He also administers the endorsement of the country's so-called Cyber services sector. He assumes that there will be more BPO investments in Mindanao within the next two years.

But for now the ongoing economic slowdown in US would have little effect on the country's outsourcing industry BPAP chief executive officer Oscar Sañez said. More aggressive marketing is needed to attract more investors and this will be a good tactic. [via]