PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

BUSINESS
T
he IT business process association of the Philippines ( IBPAP) is seeking audience with
president Duterte after his latest pronouncements on the countrys relation with the united
states went a new wave of jitters among IT and business process management firms.
Dutertes last controversial remark on the countrys separation from the US has created
uncertainty and apprehension among IT- BPM companies in the Philippines as 77 percent of
their business is dependent on American companies and clients.

We continue to monitor the Investors in and stakeholders of the IT

developments given president Dutertes BPM industry whose contribution to the
pronouncement regarding our military and economy has already surpassed that of the
economic ties with US. IBPAP has formally remittances of the overseas Filipino workers
reached out to the Office of the President to ( OFWs) have also raised concerns about
secure an audience with him and directly what was received to be a growing
discuss our (concerns) with the instability under Duterte administration.
government, IBPAP said in the statement
on Friday.

Remarks against the US, European Union and the United Nations historically among the
countrys biggest economic and development partners- were feared to have eroded the countrys
attractiveness as an investment and destination. The IBPAP further noted that like what it had
been doing in the past, it had sought clarify on the governments position on the manner and
secured an official statement from the Department of Information and Communications
Technology Secretary Rodolfo A. Salalima.

Salalima was quoted as saying that all The DICT chief further assured the IT-
BPM firms that this pledge that has been
business investments , contracts and made by the president is sincere. And it will
commitments , local and international , be true to his words.
in the country will be honored by the The group is likewise pinning its hope on
Philippine government , consistent what Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said last
with non impairment an due process week that in terms of economic [ties] ,was
not stopping trade, investment with
clauses in the Philippine constitution
America the president specifically
and existing laws of the land. mentioned his desire to strengthen further the
ties with china and ASEAN region which we
have trading with for centuries.
But we definitely wont stop the trade and investment activities with the west, specifically the
US. Just last month, IBPAP sent a letter to its members firms to pacify foreign outsourcing
companies, as it stressed that despite all the noise, there is no real threat to business. SS