Startup stakeholders upbeat on Philippines to level up

Amid fall of Manila, Cebu in Tholons global BPO index

From (L-R): GOAB Panelists and Supporters. ASPACE Community Lead Micah Asistores, Co-founder of Smart Deleveloper Network Paul Pajo, DICT Undersecretary Mon Ibrahim, Endeavor Philippines Managing Director Manny Ayala, Founder and CEO of MobKard Carlo Calimon, GOAB Organiser Tina Amper, PSIA President Jonathan de Luzuriaga, Asspociate Director for Business Partnerships and Development of Ideaspace Inc. Goldy Yancha, Director for Technology and Cybersecutiry at Business Profiles Inc. Sagiv Massad and World Startup Report Founder Bowei Gai.

Startup stakeholders have expressed confidence the Philippines will top its ICT industry performance as emphasis shifts to digital innovation instead merely focusing on call centers.

The world economy now gives primary importance to digital innovation. The recent Tholons Services Globalization Index (TSGI) 2017 (Global Outsourcing Index) tell us we are on the right track, said stakeholders of the Philippine startup community during a press conference in Manila on July 4, 2017.

“For the first time, Tholons introduced digital innovation, startup ecosystem, and digital transformation as primary measures in determining top cities for outsourcing.

In its latest list released on June 28, 2017, Manila fell from number two to four as top global outsourcing destination. Cebu fell from the top 10 to number 12,” said Tina Amper of TechTalks.ph.

However, we expect that our standing will improve next year as we currently have many programs in place to spur growth in startups such as this event GOAB supported by the Department of ICT. Along with DICT's own seedPH, DigitalPH and the newly renamed Digital Cities initiatives (formerly Next Wave Cities), said Undersecreatry Mon Ibrahim.

In addition, other government agencies are also ramping up their own programs such as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), all of whom collaborate with the other ecosystem players like startupPH.org and everyone at GOAB.

Other world-class cities have levelled up to spawning local startups and attracting global digital businesses that make them centers for innovation. These digital businesses are the ones that avail of increasingly high-tech outsourcing services.

“Call centers will still be there although world-class digital businesses will look at the whole digital ecosystem. This means the physical and digital infrastructure, the legislative framework, the manpower, and others,” Amper said.

TechTalks.ph has organized the annual Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) conference starting in 2013 to push for the development of the Philippine startup ecosystem.

“Since day one, TechTalks.ph was about promoting tech and startups in the Philippines. We were always about supporting the community here in Philippines, which included expats along with the locals." said Amper.

Since some of us already had connections with the global ecosystem due to Startup Weekend and previous projects, it was relatively easy to connect with global investors and founders. ” said Albert Padin, co-founder of Sym.ph and one of the chief geeks at GOAB.

In 2015, the Information Communication Technology Office (ICTO) which was then under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched the Philippine Startup Roadmap.

This is the 5th year that the Department of Information, Communication and Technology (DICT) is the co-organizer of GOAB which will happen on August 24-25, 2017 at Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

TechTalks.ph has been working with some sectors of DICT and DTI for some years now so we are hopeful that other government agencies will join the digital transformation and innovation bandwagon. It takes guts and long-term thinking to invest in hardships now to reap benefits in the future, Amper said.

“The situation is even more urgent for corporations, government leaders and enlightened individuals to attach themselves to some of the best of the industry at GOAB so they can catch up,” Amper said.

PLDT, Smart, Voyager, PayMaya, ePLDT, Smart DevNet, PLDT Enterprise, and PLDT Innolab are supporting GOAB as co-presenters while A Space is co-producer. The silver sponsors include Payoneer, Zalora, PouchNATION, Istorya.net, Synergy 88 Digital, Uniform Solutions, and AtoX Solutions. The official airline partner is Philippines Airasia and the official ticketing partner is Ticketbase. The bronze sponsors are NXTLVL Academy, LabPH,, APNIC, Spring Valley Corporation, and NorthRidge Partners.

The media partners are e27, Tech in Asia, Bohol News Daily by Auza.net, Innopub Media, Geeks in Cambodia, Asian Journal Publications, Balikbayan Magazine, Mobile Ecosystem Forum, ConnectedWomen.co and QueenCityCebu.com, The organizational partners are the Philippine Software Industry Association, the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines, UP CeBuInIT, Digital Commerce Association of the Philippines, DevelopersConnect, Science and Technology Advisory Council - Silicon Valley, Mynimo, Teradoor, Israel Chamber of Commerce Philippines, and the Cloud Security Alliance Philippines.

GOAB is organized by TechTalks.ph, powered by Sym.ph, branding by Happy Garaje, and pr by PRWorks. For registration or partnernship information or further details, visit www.GeeksOnABeach.com, follow on Twitter/Facebook Geeks On A Beach, or contact hello@GeeksOnABeach.com.