The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) have formalized a partnership aimed at boosting the competitiveness of the country’s information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry by aligning it with global standards.

DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque and IBPAP president Jack Madrid led the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the DTI headquarters in Makati City on Monday.

Under the MOU, the government will provide support to ITBPM organizations in adopting world-class standards, with the IBPAP promoting the Philippine Quality Award (PQA).

The agreement also establishes the IBPAP Quality Council, which will guide efforts toward quality improvement across the sector.

The partnership seeks to expand the adoption of quality systems within the IT-BPM industry, enhance institutional capacity and innovation, and further strengthen the sector’s role in driving sustainable employment and economic growth.

“This represents more than just a formal agreement, it is an affirmation of our commitment to strengthening partnerships that drive national progress,” Roque said in her speech.

She emphasized the importance of the ITBPM industry in the country’s economy, recognizing it as a “pillar of economic resilience and a powerful engine in job creation in the Philippines.”

The DTI chief stressed the commitment of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to support key industries like the ITBPM.

“The President has given us strict orders to make sure that we take care of all the industries in the Philippines, the foreign investors that are here, that have invested money with us, and one of them is the ITBPM sector,” she added.

In 2024, the industry grew by percent, with revenues reaching to USD38 billion from USD35.5 billion in 2023. (PNA)