Telecoms & IT

Just two companies control the fixed-line and mobile telecommunications market; however, competition between these two providers is intense. The mobile network operators are beginning to shift their investment focus to providing more data capacity and related services, preparing networks for the 4G rollout. Despite the two incumbent operators enjoying an entrenched market position that makes them difficult to challenge, the propensity for Filipinos to consume online content and engage in social media presents opportunities for a range of technology firms involved in delivering media content, gaming, e-commerce and digital advertising. If harnessed effectively, the Philippines possesses a number of ingredients that position it to emerge as a globally competitive tech hub. While large corporates and business process outsourcing companies are still the mainstay when it comes to ICT spenders, efforts are under way to integrate and transform government agencies to more effectively deploy IT in delivering public services.

This chapter contains interviews with Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, Vice-President for Global Business Partners Asia-Pacific, IBM; and Maria Rosario Santos-Concio, President and CEO, ABS-CBN Corporation.