The Philippines is presently ranked among the world's top four offshore destinations offering one of the world's most competitive IT outsourcing environments (Gartner, September 2001; SOR, March 2001). According to Stephanie Moore, Vice President of the Giga Information Group, the Philippines is presently considered as the world's best offshore alternative to India (Giga Tel Presentation on Offshore and Nearshore Outsourcing Options, June 2001).

The Philippines' popularity is credited to the English skills of this former U.S. protectorate, its close U.S. ties, one of the world's most skilled IT workforces (380,000 college graduates annually), a developing telecommunications infrastructure and low cost.

In combination with the country's predominant Catholic tradition, this creates an environment that is very receptive to advanced technologies and to working effectiveness with both European and U.S. companies.

More than 8000 companies outsource knowledge-based work to the Philippines. These include Dell Computer Customer Service Call Center, Disney and Pixar computer graphic and animation centers, Microsoft, IBM, Amkor, America On Line, Accenture, Barnes & Noble, Caltex, Citibank, Morgan Stanley, Northwest Airlines, Proctor & Gamble, AIG, International Red Cross, Alitalia, Great Plains Software, Fujitsu and NEC just to name a few.