Titled “Bridging Filipino-American Businesses and the Philippine Healthcare BPO,” the hybrid event was a collaboration between DTI-PTIC New York and the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago. It brought together more than 45 attendees, including Filipino-American owners and managers of US-based home health agencies, to explore new avenues of cross-border business collaboration.
Opening the seminar, Trade Commissioner Benedict M. Uy highlighted how the Philippine BPO industry has evolved over the years—from offering mainly voice-based customer support to now providing a wide range of high-value services under knowledge process outsourcing (KPO). These advanced services include finance and accounting, legal support, software development, 3D animation, and the rapidly growing healthcare information management services (HIMS) sector.
Uy emphasized the Philippines’ competitive edge, citing robust government support through measures like the Data Privacy Act, which aligns local practices with global standards, and the CREATE MORE Law that provides strategic fiscal incentives to investors. He highlighted that the Philippine IT-BPM industry generates around $38 billion annually and employs 1.8 million professionals.
HIMS, in particular, has emerged as the industry’s fastest-growing segment, currently valued at over $4 billion and expanding at 9 percent yearly, driven by more than 400 specialized firms. Uy also shared the success of Filipino companies at the 2025 HIMSS Global Health Conference in Las Vegas, where they secured $79 million in business deals.
Guest speaker John Duenas, a certified healthcare BPO expert and former executive director of the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines, elaborated on how Philippine HIMS providers address common operational challenges in U.S. healthcare businesses—from billing documentation and compliance to cost control.
The seminar concluded with a dynamic open forum, where participants actively engaged in discussions on cost-saving opportunities, taxation, payment structures, and liability insurance—reflecting a strong interest in forging deeper business partnerships with Philippine BPO providers. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
