A global domination campaign will be launched this year by the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA). Its goal is to generate US$1 billion revenues by the year 2010. The programme was unveiled this week at the 9th e-Services Global Outsourcing Conference and Exhibition in Pasay City. Last year, the country's sector of export-oriented software grew more than 30 percent. The earning increased to US$624 million net earnings from US$423 million in the year 2007. According to a blog, the overall Philippine IT-BPO industry revenue last year was US$6.1 billion. But the call center segment still demands 68 percent share, 14 percent backoffice operations, 10 percent for software sector, 4 percent for engineering, 3 percent for transcription, and 2 percent for animation. The chair of the PSIA's marketing and communications committee and also the managing director for local software company, SQL Wizard., Dinah Salonga said that the software companies is insisting the European market this year, together with their plans for a coast-to-coast promotional trip across the United States.

Sailing in the next-wave cities

Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III, Chair of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) also made a decision for the new set of next-wave cities that will be positioned as outsourcing hubs.

Roxas-Chua identified the following locations when he talked with the IT executives and delegates at the conference:

• Davao
• Bacolod
• Bulacan Central: Baliuag, Marilao and Meycauyan
• Pampanga Central: Angeles/Clark, Mabalacat and Dau
• Metro Cavite: Dasmarinas, Bacoor, Imus and Cavite City
• Iloilo
• Cagayan De Oro
• Metro Laguna: Santa Rosa, Calamba, Los Banos and San Pablo
• Bulacan South: Malolos and Calumpit
• Lipa

These cities are already equipped with the needed resources and have the ability to provide very similar products and level of service currently offered by the main cities of Manila and Cebu. As an example, the southern city of Davao can produce more than 15,000 graduates a year from the 46 colleges and universities in field of engineering, computer science, and education. The Philippines and Canada-based ICT research firm, XMG Global said that a presentation and initiatives could help the country preserve its global competitiveness since the cost of talent and real estate is inexpensive in the countryside. [via]