BPO industry to propel ICT spending in the Philippines

The impact of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, among others, will help propel the spending growth in the Philippine Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector this year. According to infotech research company IDC, total spending growth in the Philippine ICT sector is expected to range from 8% to 10% this year on the back of the robust BPO industry, rise of millennials, disruptive technologies, demand from SMEs, and the impact of next-wave cities. IDC, however, sounded a note of caution over radical policies that may emerge in the six to eight months following the elections. It also urged the next government to prioritize key aspects for ICT and cited the need for prioritization of the BPO industry.