MANILA, Philippines — Business process outsourcing (BPO) firms are eyeing to penetrate new markets particularly the Asia Pacific region and achieve an annual growth of 30 percent.

Gigi Virata, senior executive director of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP), identified some of the markets as China, India and Sri Lanka.

Virata is confident the Philippines can enter these markets as it remains competitive in both the voice and non-voice services.

Apart from the proposed country tourism brand, establishing one for the services sector could help promote the Philippine BPO services.

BPAP chief executive officer Oscar Sañez earlier said they would continue promoting the BPO sector in the markets where more investments are expected to come from such as the United States, Europe and Australia.

The BPO industry last year yielded an estimated $9 billion worth of services and created around 500,000 jobs. The US remains the prime source for outsourcing activities.

In 2011, the BPAP projected revenues would increase to $11 billion that could generate about 110,000 jobs.

Despite feat, Virata pointed out that talent availability continues to be a problem that the industry needs to address. Hiring rate reaches only a maximum of ten percent.

BPO firms are working with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to implement training and recruiting development programs designed to increase the hiring rate.

TESDA has been involved in training-for-work scholarship program for call center agents, transcription agents, java software and animation and film.

Virata said improving the recruitment quality through scholarship programs for the near-hires and the implementation of the K+12 program which adds two years to basic education in the country can help address this problem.

Businessmen in several large business groups and members of the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines believe that English proficiency among the entering workforce could be improved through computerized training at schools and by increasing the use of English on local television.

They are also pushing for the country to adopt the National Competency Test, accelerate development of local managers, and introduce Service Science Management Engineering as a degree program.

With the aim to build market share for the Philippines as the second-largest delivery location after India outside of North America, promoting the BPO industry to new locators with a well-funded campaign outside the country is also important.