MANILA, Philippines – While the business process outsourcing sector continues to expect growth amid the economic downturn, the roll out of newly constructed office space is expected to be limited to only half of the originally planned supply this year.
According to Claro Cordero Jr., head of research and valuation for Jones Lang Lasalle Leechiu, the earlier projection of an additional 200,000 square meters (sq.m.) of office space for 2009 had been trimmed by half to only 100,000 sq.m.
“The real estate side of the BPO sector is still quite good, although the number of office developments to be completed this year has been scaled down,” he said in an interview. “There was still no crisis when we first made our projections.”
Most of the demand would still be for office space in prime locations such as Makati and Ortigas, he said, but since these locations were now already saturated, demand for space in second-tier locations was also expected to increase.
“Companies are now going to decentralized areas and nearby provinces such as Cavite. They’re also looking at Baguio, Cebu and Davao,” he said.
As for the trend in types of office spaces being offered, he said most developers were focused on build-to-suit spaces that were flexible enough to cater to the various size requirements of different companies.
Right now, lease rates were still highest in prime locations in Makati at P650-P750 per square meter, he said. Other locations in Makati as well as at the nearby Bonifacio Global City offered slightly lower rates at P600-P700.
Outside Makati and the Global City, particularly in the Ortigas area, he said potential BPO tenants could expect to pay P500-P600 per square meter a month. Other areas usually offered lease rates of P400-P500 per square meter.
The Commission on Information and Communications Technology, Business Processing Association of the Philippines and the Department of Trade and Industry are promoting areas outside Metro Manila and Metro Cebu as potential sites for BPO operations.
The 10 best sites outside Metro Manila and Metro Cebu, dubbed the Top 10 Next Wave Cities, are Metro Laguna, Metro Cavite, Iloilo City, Davao City, Bacolod City, Metro Pampanga, East and West Bulacan, Cagayan de Oro City and Lipa City. –Abigail L. Ho, Philippine Daily Inquirer
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
October –
Monthly Observances:
Industry and Commerce Safety Month
National Statistics Month
Local Government Month
Consumer Welfare Month
Cooperative Month
National Quality and Productivity Improvement Month
National Health and Wellness Tourism Month
National Indigenous Peoples Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Elderly Filipino Week
Week 2: National Health Education Week
Local Government Week
National Mental Health Week
October 17-23:
National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty
October 18 – 24:
United Nations Week
Last Week:
Nurses’ Week
Consumers’ Protection Week
Week of the 4th Sunday:
Barrio Farmers’ Week
Daily Observances:
First Monday (Oct 4): Universal Children’s Day i
n the Philippines
Oct 5: National Teachers’ Day
Oct 10: Local Government Day
Third Thursday (Oct 14): Conflict Resolution Day
Oct 21: Tenants’ Emancipation day
Oct 24: United Nations Day
Oct 29: National Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Day
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
