October 2009

The National Outsourcing Association of the United Kingdom awarded the Best Offshoring Destination to the Philippines for the year 2009. The Philippines bested Egypt, Malaysia, Russia and Sri Lanka for its second award since 2007. The award were given at the 6th Annual National Outsourcing Destination Awards held at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel in Central London last October 15, 2009.

The NOA is the UK's only outsourcing trade association. In the past four years, the NOA has set benchmark standards in the recognition of outsourcing as a legitimate business practice. The awards also recognize companies and people who have exhibited excellence in the field of outsourcing.

"The award highlights the tremendous achievement of the BPO industry which was attained in a very short time," Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favila said expressing his appreciation for UK's National Outsourcing Association in giving the Philippines this outstanding recognition.

The BPO industry in the Philippines has generated about US $ 6.1 billion in revenues in 2008 and employed close to 400,000 full-time employees. This makes the Philippines as the world's second biggest BPO player next only to India.

Several factors were considered by NOA in determining the winner of the prestigious category, which include country advantages, and appeal to UK companies, level of market penetration in the UK and areas of outsourcing available in the country.

The Philippine Commercial Attaché office in London submitted the Philippine nomination in behalf of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP). BPAP is the umbrella trade association for the entire spectrum of BPO and IT-Enabled services including customer service, back office outsourcing, software development, engineering design, digital animation, and game development.