We list down the top 7 reasons foreign investors are weary of when contemplating on investing in the Philippines—and why they shouldn't be worried at all.

1. TOP 7

2. # 1
A top Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) destination, the Philippines is ranked the 6th largest English speaking country in the world, and is even ranked #1 in the Business English Index (BEI) conducted by Pearson in 2013. This high English proficiency rate means you’re unlikely to have language problems with Filipinos.
Source: http://static.globalenglish.com/files/case_studies/GlobEng_BEIreport%202013_ EN_A4_FINAL.pdf

3. # 2
The Philippines was an American colony for 48 years, and even the current educational system is heavily based on the American public school system. This combination eventually entwined Filipinos with Western culture. Filipinos can speak excellent idiomatic American English, and their neutral accent makes them more understandable than many other nations.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War

4. # 3
Many multinational companies who set-up shop or do business in the Philippines need not worry that their company’s data and information are not safe because of national laws in place like the Data Privacy Act of 2013 and more importantly, ISO/IEC 27001certification. ISO/IEC 27001 formally specifies an Information Security Management System (ISMS), a suite of activities concerning the management of information security risks. The ISMS is an overarching management framework through which the organization identifies, analyzes and addresses its information security risks. The ISMS ensures that the security arrangements are fine-tuned to keep pace with changes to the security threats, vulnerabilities and business impacts .
Source: http://www.gov.ph/2012/08/15/republic-act-no-10173/ http://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/iso-27001-information-security/

5. # 4
Some business owners fear that working with a BPO company will tie them up to long bonds that do not allow them to escape even when necessary. However, there are BPO companies that are based on mutual trust and therefore do not tie clients to long contract periods.
Source: http://www.eastvantage.com/solutions

6. # 5
When it comes to the output the Filipino workforce produce, they offer one of the highest quality of services. The country has a rich pool of knowledge-based manpower that foreign companies are looking for. Moreover, according to US-based Meta Group, their study revealed that the Philippines ranked 4th in terms of IT competitiveness among countries like Israel, India, and Iceland.
Source: http://www.globalservicesmedia.com/Destinations/Asia/Philippines,-India-Compete-for-Outsource- Dollars/25/22/0/GS101119448968

7. # 6
As more companies expand and strive to be more competitive, there has been a growing thrust for more value-added services aside from what a typical BPO offers. This demand may bring about the development of other non-voice services, in particular, Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO).
Unlike the traditional BPO, where the focus is on process expertise, KPO utilizes knowledge expertise. This requires service providers to possess advanced technical, interpretation, and analytical skills. In terms of talent, KPO firms need people with highly specialized skills, requiring superior educational qualifications and extensive training—which the Philippines has an abundance of. For example, KPO services for the financial sector, such as insurance and banking, may require personnel who have acquired graduate degrees and certifications, such as being a Chartered Financial Analyst or a Certified Public Accountant.
Source: http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=the-future-of-the-philippines&8217-kpo- industry&id=95576

8. # 7
There is a common concern that when you outsource a business process to another company you lose control over it. When it comes to outsourcing IT for example, many business owners often believe that they will lose control over their infrastructure because the partner usually installs and maintains this.
While it is true that an IT partner will manage infrastructure, almost every provider operates with your business goals and needs in mind. So, may it be in IT or any other business process, they will often implement solutions that not only support but improve existing processes while also reducing costs. This leaves you with a stronger business set-up.
Source: http://www.techadvisory.org/2014/08/6-it-outsourcing-misconceptions/

9. Eastvantage is a provider of bespoke, personalized outsourced solutions to SMEs in the areas of Business Support, Technology and e-Marketing. Operating from the heart of Southeast Asia in Manila, Philippines,
We employ over 200 employees and growing with a footprint in over 20 cities across the globe, servicing clients from a diverse array of industries including banking, energy, advertising, food and beverage, retail and e-commerce. Learn more about our services, company culture and our people through www.eastvantage.com.
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