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Meanwhile, the Philippines corners 15% of the global BPO
market with the sector accounting for nearly 7% of the
Philippines' GDP to date, compared with just 0.08% in
2000. This share is expected to keep rising. According to
the World Bank, labor costs in the Philippines are only 16%
of those in the US. It is not just about lower labor costs;
the Philippines has a large pool of highly qualified, English-
speaking professionals, with an improving and welcoming
policy and regulatory environment. There has been a push
into higher-value-added services, including accounting,
bookkeeping and software development, that are less
susceptible to automation. Overall, the BPO expansion has
brought about a structural change in commercial property
that will continue to drive future growth. We estimate that
the BPO industry will account for 70-80% of the annual
average oŸce space demand over the next five years, of
which banking-related o¥shoring activities will comprise
30%.
The industry’s expansion is not confined to just one location.
Most BPO firms do not necessarily require central CBD
locations, although accessibility to transport, retail outlets,
and other support businesses like banks, hotels, and
entertainment are important. This has resulted in resurgence
of existing major business districts and the emergence of
alternative oŸce locations or business districts in Metro
Manila that feature mixed-use developments. Other cities,
like Cebu, Davao and Iloilo, where most major developers
are currently expanding, are also benefiting from alternative
location movement. The IT and Business Process Association
of the Philippines (IBPAP) notes that while Manila and Cebu
are mature BPO locations already, continued expansion
should pave the way for next-wave cities in other provincial
areas. The association projects a total full-time BPO
employee count of 2.6 million by 2020, more than double
current levels. If this target is reached, then the BPO industry
alone would likely need at least another 50 msf in leasable
space from 2017 to 2020.
Other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia,
Indonesia and Vietnam are gradually establishing themselves
in the global outsourcing landscape, with Kuala Lumpur
(Malaysia) and Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi (Vietnam) being
ranked amongst the top 25 outsourcing destinations in the
world. In addition to Kuala Lumpur, where Indian IT major
Tech Mahindra is launching a center of excellence for Google
Technologies, Malaysia has developed a major o¥shoring
hub in Penang, where a new IT-BPM park is being built to
house as many as 21,000 new jobs by 2020.
THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA
The shift in consumer behavior, emergence of fintechs, rising costs, and new regulations are all factors making
banks rethink their strategies. Consequently, we expect to see the emergence of a new wave of financial and
insurance companies supercharged with eŸciency and sophistication. While volatility is expected to persist in the
macro landscape, we anticipate the BFSI sector to remain a growth catalyst across the region, with the potential
to add about 350,000 jobs per year across major cities in the region. In real estate, this would translate to an
additional 130 msf of oŸce space requirements in major cities through 2020.
Even the BPO sector faces imminent disruption as back-oŸce operations become more eŸcient through
automation and specialization. However, both India and the Philippines are well positioned as the industry rides
the waves of these technological breakthroughs. Notably, both countries have the requisite soft skills, aside from
traditional BPO skills, that should drive BPO sector growth in the future. We estimate the BPO sector will generate
another 100 msf of oŸce space requirements in these hubs through 2020, of which 30-40% will be attributed to
banking-related o¥shoring activities.
Ultimately, the beneficiaries in this new environment will be the consumers, who will see a higher quality of service
from BFSI institutions. As end-users of back-oŸce services, BFSI companies will see more eŸcient solutions that
will reduce costs, and allow them to focus on their competitive advantages.
SIGRID G. ZIALCITA
Managing Director
Research and Investment Strategy, Asia Pacific
T: +65 6232 0875
14 ASIA PACIFIC BFSI OUTLOOK 2017