A number of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms in the Philippines continue to identify opportunities even in a time of crisis, according to the latest survey by the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP).

BPAP said 83 percent of surveyed BPO executives said the global economic crisis has had at least some impact on their firms. Of this number, about 60 percent of respondents said they have responded to the crisis by introducing new services.

On the other hand, only 5 percent of respondents said the impact of the crisis was "very significant," while 16 percent considered the effects of the downturn as "significant."

"The results of the survey suggest that despite some challenges associated with the global financial crisis, innovative firms are identifying new opportunities as a result of the crisis. This is enabling them to continue growing their businesses,” BPAP executive director for information and research Gillian Joyce Virata said in a statement.

The survey covered 160 BPO executives in the country which represented about 25 BPO sectors, ranging from advertising services to software development. The full results of the survey will be released on June 16.

Although demand for BPO services remains strong, Virata said labor supply remains an area for concern for many firms. Citing the survey, she said 45 percent of BPO executives said their firms hire a maximum of 6 applicants out of every 100, while the remaining 55 percent hire 7 or more applicants out of 100.

Seventy-nine percent of respondents said attrition is either the "same," "decreasing," or "decreasing significantly." On the other hand, 53 percent said reduction in personnel in their companies is 10 percent or lower.

Still, 29 percent said attrition in their firms runs between 11 to 20 percent, while 17 percent said it is above 21 percent.

RP BPO industry growing

More jobs just keep on coming to the Philippines this year as BPO firms continue to expand their operations in the country amid the economic crunch.

Leading outsourcing firm Convergys, for instance, is on a roll with its expansion plans for the country this year, opening three new contact center facilities in Cebu, Quezon City, and Laguna last month.

On the other hand, BPO company Affiliated Computer Services Inc. is also planning to add 2,000 more seats in the next six months as it continues to strengthen its presence in the country through its offices in Makati, Pasay, and Cebu.

The market is also faced with new entrants this year as HP Outsourcing Philippines Inc. and Thomson Reuters Legal have recently expressed their interest to put up facilities in the country for their respective businesses.

BPAP chief executive officer Oscar Sanez said the country's BPO industry is expected to earn $13 billion in revenues by 2010, capturing 10 percent of the global IT-BPO market.

However, the government's Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) said last week that this goal may be pushed back due to the threat of protectionist policies and the lack of qualified workers in the country's BPO sector.

Despite this, CICT said the industry may see a 30-percent growth this year at $8 million.