ATKINS, the United Kingdom’s largest engineering design consultancy firm, is opening a business process outsourcing (BPO) facility in the Philippines within the year to handle most of its back office operations.
British Ambassador to Manila Peter Beckingham said the company would formally open its Philippine office in September.
"The BPO sector in the Philippines continues to be an attractive sector for British investors. Also of interest are the energy and retail sectors," he said on the sidelines of the signing of a bilateral agreement that seeks to boost Philippine trade policy in Makati on Wednesday.
The agreement between the British government and the Universal Access to Competitiveness and Trade of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry involves the grant of an P18-million technical assistance aimed at strengthening local trade policies.
Atkins, which is into planning, designing and enabling delivery of capital infrastructure programs to clients in both the public and private sectors, is moving majority of its back office work to the Philippines from the Middle East.
The company is also providing training and opportunities for Filipinos to work abroad, Mr. Beckingham said.
Apart from Atkins, he said two more UK-based companies from different sectors are considering to put up businesses here. He declined to give details.
While British businessmen remain interested in investing in the Philippines, they have also expressed concerns about the high cost of power and foreign ownership restrictions, the British ambassador said.
In an earlier interview, British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Chairman Leslie Stokes said challenges in infrastructure and bureaucracy remain major turn-offs to foreign investors,
The Philippines’ best assets, meanwhile, are the robust performance of its economy, which according to the government had grown by 7.3% last year, a three decade-high. Mr. Stokes also cited the country’s educated work force.
He added that other sectors attractive to British investors are business process outsourcing, hospitality, tourism, aquaculture, biotechnology, distilled liquor and alternative energy.
Data from the British embassy in Manila showed UK exports to the Philippines as of November last year stood at 232 million pounds, or about P19.37 billion.
Britain is the country’s 15th largest export destination after Japan, the US, Saudi Arabia, Germany and East Asian neighbors.
Top British exports include electrical apparatus/appliances and spares, medical and pharmaceutical products, manufactured metals, office, general industrial and power-generating machinery.
UK imports from the Philippines reached 667 million pounds, or about P55.7 billion, as of November last year.
Top UK imports included electrical and office equipment and machinery, apparel, miscellaneous manufactured material, road vehicles, fish products, textile fibers, yarn and made-up articles.
Citing data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the embassy said the UK was the country’s largest investor in 2007, but did not provide specific figures.
It said the UK has major investments in the country’s power, energy, water and financial service sectors.
There are about 200 British companies active in the Philippines. Major British firms include Shell, HSBC, BG, Standard Chartered Bank, Misys and Unilever.
A number of British companies are involved in franchising operations, including Debenhams, M & S, Top Shop, Burberry, Clarks Shoes and Lush.
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