Raymond Le Blanc asked:


Outsourcing to Philippines may be a new endeavor to some companies, but to those that have been into outsourcing before, outsourcing to Philippines has helped them a lot. It has helped them in terms of financial matters. Outsourcing to Philippines have been helpful enough that some companies have been able to expand their business due to the fact that outsourcing to Philippines saves them from high spending. Studies have also shown that working with the Filipinos have not failed the companies since the workers are very efficient and have been helpful enough to the company.

For the new comers of the outsourcing industry, I would just like to state some facts with regards to outsourcing in the Philippines and how the workers are.

Filipinos are very good in coping and adapting to the work force. They are not the kind of people who usually complain with the tasks handed to them. They also do not find it hard to adapt the culture of the company they are dealing with. This is probably because they have been used to adapting to cultures when they were being colonized by some other countries. It has been common to them the other cultures such as the cultures of Spain, Japan and America. That is why if you are an American company, outsourcing to Philippines will not be that difficult for you. Adjusting to them is not a problem too!

Outsourcing to Philippines will not be that difficult especially if it deals with personal relations tasks. Filipinos have been good in communicating and relating with other people. They have been noted to be good at this. They treat the people with respect which is why they are highly known to be friendly and hospitable.

Also, sending across your ideas, plans, needs and want will not be difficult once you are outsourcing to Philippines. This is because the Philippines have been known to be the number English speaking country in Asia and holds the highest literacy rate too. Knowing these facts, it will not be difficult then as they can, in any way, understand what you mean. Communication will not be a barrier and therefore, with proper and very good communication, outsourcing to Philippines will help you achieve your goal in a short period of time.

Christine Layug asked:


Magazines are very general in which covers everything from Art Magazines, Auto and Cycle Magazines, Business and Finance Magazines, Children Magazines, Cooking and Food Magazines, Entertainment Magazines, Fashion Magazines, Health and Fitness Magazines, Home and Gardening Magazines, Lifestyle Magazines, Photography Magazines, Sports Magazines, Teens Magazines, Women’s Magazines and Men’s Magazines. But when it comes to Men’s magazines, especially here in the Philippines, Maxim magazine Philippine is the best choice of all.

Maxim magazine Philippine is an international English language lad magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its revealing pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, of which none are *****.

Maxim is very popular among the men and even the women throughout the world such as Argentina, Canada, India, Indonesia, Israel, Belgium, Romania, the Czech Republic, France (marketed under “Maximal”), Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Russia (where it stands now as the most popular men’s magazine), Serbia, the Philippines (which is known now as Maxim magazine Philippine), Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine, and Portugal.

Maxim magazine Philippine is one of the most used men’s magazine here in the Philippines next to FHM. So if you’re thinking of buying some Maxim magazine Philippine then why not avail on M-Express. M-Express is the first ever online magazine shop here in the Philippines.

M-Express does not only sell Maxim magazine Philippine but other magazines such as Food Magazine Philippines, Fashion Magazine Philippines, Homestyle magazine philippines, Game magazine philippines and many more.

M-Express doesn’t only sell magazines such as Maxim magazine Philippine but also makes deliveries throughout the country for free. M-Express manages this because M-Express is powered by the most reliable courier service here in the Philippines, the LBC. M-EXPRESS is the first ever door-to-door magazine delivery service in the country. It is the convenient way to order magazines anytime and anywhere you are in the Philippines. You can place subscriptions or order per title allowing you the flexibility to control your budget.

For more information on Maxim magazine Philippine, then visit http://www.m-express.com.ph

Bercle George asked:


There are many islands located in the Philippines, and one of them is the Boracay, which covers three kilometers of white beach.

Visitors can either decide to join a guided tour or hire a tourist guide for their group alone. Rain forests offer a huge variety of tropical fruits, such as bananas, papayas, pineapples, durians, mangoes, and many others. The natural landscapes, the climatic conditions, the tropical animals, fruits, and vegetables found here make the Philippines a beautiful place to visit.

Tourist Destinations:

-Bohol is also blessed with a numerous white sand beaches, and Panglao Island is one of the famous destinations, having powdery sand.

-White Beach, Boracay Boracay Island is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

-The province of Palawan is an island in the South China Sea.

Luxury resorts will often also be in based in exceptionally desirable and strategic worldwide locations, from beautiful tropical islands, to snow caked mountains, to scenic lakes and rivers, to exhilarating cities. Boholanos, as what the natives are called, are very proud of the natural wonders that are bestowed in the island. Everyone head for the nearest beach so if you don’t want to feel crowded when you’re sunbathing, set your travel date for another time of the year.

Foods:

The Filipinos also eat uncooked seafood that is stuffed with onions and wrapped in a banana leaf. People, who have sensitive taste buds and are ready to experiment with different cuisines, can try the dishes cooked by the Philippines. To the Filipinos, simple cooking basically means fish and its varieties, fetched directly from the sea.

The American culture has brought with it major fast food giants, such as KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Burger King.

The Philippines’ recipes reflect the tastes of India, China, and Japan, as well as Spain, Portugal, and even the US.

Events:

-The World Pyro Olympics is held in the Philippines every year starting from December 2005.

-The Santacruzan during May and which each and every town parades its most beautiful residents in a walk around town.

-The flower season of Baguio-described as the summer capital of the Philippines because of its perennially cool weather-is something to look forward to.

Shopping:

Prices of the goods for Philippine bargains are comparable to the ones in Thailand and in China. Bargains in the Philippines are cheaper compared to the bargains in Singapore and Hong Kong. For personal gifts or gifts for the home, you will find an enormous selection for Philippine online shopping at Internet malls.

Bercle George asked:


The Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands. Tourists plays an important role to the Philippine economy. Makati has a lot of high rise buildings, the Makati skyline is the best in the country.

The Philippines has its world class beach resorts around the countries Vacationers here can enjoy activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving in the coral waters. Staying in the Philippines can be extremely pleasant and also very affordable. Everyone head for the nearest beach so if you don’t want to feel crowded when you’re sunbathing, set your travel date for another time of the year.

Attractions:

This destination can be one of the best for travel and vacation. There are lots of attractions in the region.

-The main attractions here are the volcanoes Pinatubo and Mount Mayon. Pinatubo, the volcano which caused a massive eruption in 1991.

-Another is Chocolate Hills – limestone hills that turn brown during the summer.

-The Boracay Island is known for its very fine white sand. The beaches there cater million of local and foreign tourists annually.

-The Banaue Rice Terraces provides amazing view for tourists. It is located in the Norther part of Luzon.

Foods:

To the Filipinos, simple cooking basically means fish and its varieties, fetched directly from the sea. The Philippines’ recipes reflect the tastes of India, China, and Japan, as well as Spain, Portugal, and even the US. The food has its own special tastes and flavors. The cuisines of the Philippines include delicacies of Malay, Spanish, and also the Chinese because of the influence of these cultures that began approximately 400 years ago.

Events:

-Christmas celebrations are all about greeting your near and dear ones and wishing them Merry Christmas. Christmas vacations will give you ample time to celebrate the festival with great enthusiasm.

-The games attracted more tourists compared to the World Pyro Olympics because the Pyro Olympics was only held at night unlike the games which was held at day and night.

-Attending parties, going to the church, singing carols and songs are some the most common activities that are followed by people during this festival.

Shopping:

Three of the biggest shopping malls in the world SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, and SM North EDSA are all located in the Philippines. Bargains in the Philippines are cheaper compared to the bargains in Singapore and Hong Kong. One of Asia’s affordable and largest bargains are found in the Philippines.

Jack R. Lesley, Jr. asked:


Outsourcing: A love / **** relationship for U.S. I.T. professionals.  Ask the average employee in any I.T. organization, and hearing about fear of jobs going to India and China is almost unavoidable.  Although many have started the move toward business service management (BSM) to address the chaotic labor trends, I.T. labor itself still consumes over one-third of I.T. budgets.  This figure is perfectly in line with a recently published Gartner report stating that 37% of the typical I.T. budget goes directly to personnel costs.  What are you as the CIO going to do to manage this frenzied situation?  Is outsourcing, or “offshoring,” the answer?  

 

How can you outsource your operations to a foreign country and still maintain compliance with best practice frameworks such as ITIL or MOF?  How do you maintain Sarbanes-Oxley, PCI, or HIPAA compliance when utilizing 100% offshore resources with far less control?  

 

Almost everyone in the I.T. sector has at least one story about various operational tasks being “offshored” to India, and no call-center, network operations center (NOC), or infrastructure team has been immune to rumors of jobs going offshore.  No longer are the cities of Mumbai and Delhi simple manufacturing hubs and suppliers of raw materials.  The country is home to some of the largest corporate call centers and development centers in the world.  In late 2005, the Indian outsourcing workforce numbered 350,000 individuals.  That total is now estimated at well over 800,000, with many new positions going unfilled due to the lack of qualified candidates.

 

Eleven years ago this month, USA Today published an article titled “Can political instability be eliminated in India?”  Looking solely at the news of the past six months, the answer to that question is an obvious NO.

 

The trend toward a twenty-first century India has not fostered the sort of sweeping political change one might expect from the world’s most populous democracy.  Moreover, the unwillingness of the Indian government to more robustly combat intellectual property theft is the stuff that causes your legal team to lose MANY nights of sleep.

 

Recession has made its way to India as well.  The 4 December 2008 issue of The New York Times ran an article discussing the wave of outsourcing firms scaling back their daily operations in India due to the unhealthy global financial climate.  As of this week, the Indian rupee is at a record low.

 

India makes a strong case as the “global back office,” yet it has failed to produce an environment supporting front-office operations such as product innovation and corporate strategies.  The prevailing thought of the past 5 years has been that Indian outsourcing firms are masterful in the art of efficiency and product development measures.  What about now?

 

On 7 January 2009, Indian stocks took a nosedive in the wake of announcements by Satyam Computer Services that corporate profit summaries had been inflated for several years.  The announcement by Satyam’s chairman and co-founder that he had directly falsified accounting documents on an ongoing basis has thrown the entire Indian outsourcing industry into dramatic turmoil.  As a provider of back-office services for many of the largest banks and healthcare institutions in the world, the result of the SATYAM crisis is nothing short of devastating.

 

By Friday, January 9, 2009 news sources were reporting that interim CEO Ram Mynampati does not have faith that the firm can continue past the next few weeks.  Mynampati stated they were working to find the liquidity to pay current employees, suppliers, and creditors. 

 

In less than a week, the crisis has crossed the Pacific Ocean and hit U.S. shores.  Auditing giant PricewaterhouseCoopers is expected to pay a hefty price for the emerging fraud.  The auditor has been responsible for Satyam financial oversight for over eight years, and Satyam investors are expected to go to court in attempts to recoup losses. According to legal sources from within India, most are likely to attack PricewaterhouseCoopers directly rather than Satyam.

 

The tragic events of November 2008 in Mumbai clearly show that the concerns go much deeper. Over 200 people were killed in the attacks, and the entire central business district in Mumbai ground to a halt for several days, resulting in billions of dollars in lost labor.   Within one week of the attacks, five high-profile Indian cabinet members were forced to resign.  On 1 December, TIME magazine posed the question “Will India’s Government Survive the Mumbai Massacre?”

 

Many companies are selecting alternate destinations, and some trends show an actual migration OUT of India to other knowledge-rich environments such as Singapore, The Philippines, Armenia, Pakistan, and various Latin American countries.  Companies requiring less interaction with the public (for example, a software development center) may select destinations where English is not the primary language, or in some cases, is not a language spoken at all.  Companies building public-facing operations such as helpdesks or call centers are being forced to reconsider earlier decisions, and many are moving to more English-centric countries like Taiwan and the Philippines.

 

Key players are making a strong case for themselves as these trends develop.  In the Western Hemisphere, Costa Rica and Peru have marvelous records of rock-solid software development and high customer satisfaction ratings.  In Europe, Armenia is emerging as a major powerhouse and model of efficiency.  In Asia, many are discovering that the almost-perfect English spoken in Taiwan and the Philippines combined with some labor costs equal to or less than those in India make each a destination of choice.  In fact, the November 30 edition of The New York Times Magazine featured a four-page article touting the viability of the Philippines as a premier outsourcing destination.

 

While China, Russia, and Korea have fantastic talent pools, the labor cost and in some cases difficulty dealing with local and national governments make them less attractive to some U.S. based companies.

 

While being one of the lesser-mentioned yet more historically colorful European countries, Armenia is a virtual strongbox of extraordinary talent.  As mentioned by the CIA World Factbook, 18% of Armenia’s current population is under the age of 15, meaning the talent pool is poised for huge growth.

 

Armenia declared independence from the former Soviet Union on 21 September, 1991 and is now a bastion of political stability (a particularly attractive factor for the O&O industry).  A healthy GDP real-growth rate of 13.7% makes Armenia one of the top producers in the EU.

 

Additionally, Armenia is rapidly becoming a major challenger in the index of relative economic freedom. As reported by the Heritage Foundation, the change has been nothing short of amazing. In 2000, Armenia ranked 84th in relative economic freedom. As of late 2008, Armenia ranked 28th – ahead of European powerhouses Spain (31st) and France (48th) and just behind Sweden at 27th.

 

Hong Kong ranked #1 on the list for 2008, with the U.S.A. at #5.

 

The appraisal of economic freedom is based on 50 economic indicators within the following categories: capital flow and foreign investment; financial systems; monetary, budget, and trade policies; salaries and prices; government interference in the economy; property rights and regulations; and black markets.

 

Many outsourcing experts are finding a presence in Armenia quite successful for many of their clients and partners.  The cooperation offered by the Armenian government to ease immigration and visa restrictions for executives and other technical employees traveling between Armenia and the United States has been a huge advantage to many, and this is compounded by great satisfaction with the talent pool offered by this European country.

 

Having a stable presence in Armenia is but one example of alternatives to the current Indian instability.  There are numerous other alternatives as well, and diversification is going to be the keystone to success over the next few years.  

 

As pointed out by one CEO, “…the logical approach for today’s global economy is to diversify.  Many of my contacts who previously invested heavily in Indian resources are already asking for new alternatives, and we believe the best approach is to simply avoid the old cliché of “putting all the eggs in one basket.”

 

Singapore has emerged as another destination of choice, with an extremely stable economy and government as well as strictly enforced laws on intellectual property rights.  Perfect English is widely spoken, and the country is considered one of the top-five technical innovators in the world.

 

Originally founded as a British trading colony in 1818, Singapore joined the Malaysian federation for a short two years ending in 1965. Now completely independent, Singapore is undeniably one of the most prosperous, diverse, and cosmopolitan destinations in the world and has a per capita GDP greater than that of many “leaders” in Western Europe.  

 

In 2006, the World Bank rated Singapore as “the most business-friendly economy in the world.”  Immediately behind London, New York, and Tokyo, Singapore is the fourth largest foreign exchange trading hub in the world.  

 

The country is home to three major state universities:  The National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University, resulting in a literacy rate over 93%.  The island nation accomplishes it all with a geographic size only three times that of Washington, DC.

 

The Philippines and U.S.A. share not only a very similar legal system but the English language as well. Companies in the legal sector consider this fact especially attractive. Once a U.S. colony, the Philippines has a workforce that is already familiar with many legal factors not readily obvious to those in countries with less of a seasoned relationship with the United States. 

 

A few facts about the Philippines:

 Population of 91,000,000 as of 2008  550,000 college graduates per year on Average  Educated labor pool of Over 30,000,000  Entry-level I.T. salaries average $2500—$8000 USD P.A.  Top-quality CBD real-estate costs average $17 PSF  95% literacy rate  English as a primary language

 

One of the top-three law firms in the world relocated their entire network operations center from Chicago to Fort Bonifacio, Manila, in 2003. That operation has since grown much larger, also encompassing legal operations and software development.

 

From 1997 to 2008, companies such as Citibank, Fluor, IBM, Convergys, Telus, HSBC, Dell, JP Morgan, Siemens, and Deutsche Bank have all opened major offshore facilities in the Metro Manila area of the Philippines.

 

More than just a country filled with call centers, the Philippines is home to dozens of offshore operations involving network operations, wireless services, energy, shipping and logistics, legal and medical transcription, finance and accounting, and software development.

 

The country is now recognized by some as the top destination of choice in Southeast Asia. In 2006, the country generated in excess of $3.0 billion in outsourced operations, and that figure is expected to more than double by the end of 2009. The Philippine government has targeted a global market share of 8 to 10% in the O&O market by 2011.

 

Regardless of where you go, there is no “single best answer” to every situation.  When looking for that “trusted advisor” to help you make your next outsourcing, offshoring, development, or infrastructure decision, you need a firm with the knowledge, process, devotion, and proven direction to make it a success.

 

Only by in-depth knowledge of your core business can any firm help in an effective O&O engagement. You need a firm that endeavors to understand and optimize how the process will enhance not only the I.T. department, but all other business units as well.

 

 O&O will continue to gain momentum over the next few years, regardless of what happens in the Indian subcontinent.   The recent events in India and the surrounding territories are but a small stumbling-block to an ever-evolving global business model.  

 

Businesses today realize that three very important factors have emerged in the outsourcing and offshoring industry: 



O&O cannot and should not be based on the “one size fits all” methodology anymore.   Diversification is the key. Every situation is different. Unless you are prepared to invest in learning foreign tax and H/R systems, unfamiliar holidays, unique infrastructure, governmental regulations, and possibly a few foreign languages, you NEED a trusted advisor on your side.



 

Companies and their investors who spent the billions of dollars (and thousands of man-hours) building outsourced operations based solely in India have found that trying to separate the technology from the actual business process is not only foolish—it is futile.   Outsourcing and offshoring can provide limitless possibilities, but they must be done with precision , care, and proper distribution.  Rather than outright withdrawal from offshoring operations, now is the time for diversification.

 

“There is timing in the whole life of the warrior, in his thriving and declining, in his harmony and discord. Similarly, there is timing in the Way of the merchant, in the rise and fall of capital. All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this..” 

Miyamoto Musashi , 1645

 

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Jose Maria Abada asked:

More than the usual- this is how the Philippine is positioned in the tourism block. The country is an archipelago and known officially as the Republic of the Philippines. This archipelago is located in Southeast Asia and holds the distinction of being one of only two predominantly Christian countries in Asia. The other country is East Timor. There are around 7,107 islands in the country and these islands host around 90 million people. This population based on 2008 estimates makes the country as the 12th most populous country in the world. For the traveler interested to know more about the country, it should be learned that the country has around 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide and these are the Filipinos who work in other country and one of the main reasons why the economy of the country is competitive.

According to 2008 estimates, the gross domestic product or the GDP of the country is pegged at over US$ 327.2 billion and this is considered as the 37th largest in the world. The name ‘Philippine’ traces a long history. This name was derived from the name of King Philip II of Spain in the 16th century. It was the initiative of Ruy Lopez de Villalobos to use the name Las Islas Filipinas or the Philippine Islands as his name for the islands Leyte and Samar. And the use of this name was in reference and in honor of the Prince of Spain.  A further examination of the name ‘Philippine’ will reveal that this has Greek roots and according to historians this was the name of the father of Alexander the Great.

The country is divided geographically into three groups:

•    Luzon

•    Visayas

•    Mindanao

And these three major island grouping is then sub-divided into 17 regions, another 81 provinces and 136 cities. The country also plays host to 1,494 municipalities and 41,995 barrios. The government also controls Sabah, North Borneo as asserted by Section 2 of the Republic Act Number 5446. Ecologically, the country is known as one of those countries which feature diverse flora and fauna. This feature of the country is one of the major reasons why the archipelago is one of the favorite places for travelers who seek to experience nature at its best. Another main reason why the country is always part of the list of preferred travel destinations is that the country is rich in natural resources and its scenic spots are panoramic and ready to comfort and to overwhelm the first-time visitors. The natural resources of the country are extensive and this can be seen in many areas like agriculture, forestry and minerals.

Talking about the archipelago is not complete without talking about its fertile and arable lands, the forests that host diverse flora and fauna and the panoramic coastlines. For those travelers willing to sample what the country has to offer over a limited amount of time, it is suggested that the interested traveler should focus on its culture, its beaches and its heritage. The unique Philippine culture will let the traveler experience the many festivals in the country- from Sinulog in Cebu to the Penafrancia Festival in the Bicol Region. The country has a number of festivals and these festivals will usually peak during April and May- the time for the country’s fiestas. Most of these festivals have links to the church and religious in nature.

Visiting the country without visiting some of its finest beaches is not suggested. Since the country boasts of around 7,107 islands and a coastline twice the length of the United States, you can really expect that the country will have some best beaches. Mere mention of the Philippine will evoke images of fine and white beaches of Boracay, Palawan and some of the more not-so commercial yet beautiful sands of other beaches. Some names that should be part of the plans of the traveler include Pagudpud, Mactan Island and Panglao. And speaking of heritage, the country is home to Ifugao Rice Terraces which is now part of the UNESCO Heritage List in 1995. Aside from this rice terraces, Philippine also plays host also to many old churches- baroque churches in Metro Manila and these are all considered as heritage sites that carry the country’s culture and history.

Naveen Marasinghe asked:

The Ayala Museum is an Arts and History Museum in Manila, Philippines that celebrates the diversity of Filipino culture and the rich tapestry of its art. The museum was the brainchild of artist Fernando Zobel de Ayala y Montojo who envisioned a museum dedicated to preserving and showcasing the cultural heritage of the Philippines. The museum became a reality in 1967 as a project of the Ayala Foundation and was housed at the Insular Life Building along Ayala Avenue. In 1974 the museum was moved its own custom built property at Makati Avenue and was designed by the National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin.

The museum’s architecture suits its collections and it is famous for its juxtaposing blocks that create wide spaces in the interior of the building. Among the collections at this museum the most popular are sixty diorama collections which chronicles over 50,000 years of Filipino history. All sixty exhibits are handcrafted by talented Paete artists and go back in time form the early native Filipino settlements to the arrival of the Spanish and the Americans and the subsequent struggle for independence. The exhibit also has a multimedia exhibition titled People’s Power which shows the turbulent 1950’s period and the authoritarian rule of Marcos and the victory of the People’s Power Movement in 1986.

The finely crafted sail ship exhibit is also an extremely interesting part of the museum that represents the country’s association with sea faring nations such as Spain, China and Persia. Models of traditional Filipino ships, Chinese Junks, Arabian Baghlas and Spanish Galleons can be seen at this display. The museum also maintains an ethnographic collection of cultural artifacts from the small indigenous communities from all over the archipelago.

Archelogical exhibits that trace the beginning of Filipino culture such as Gold jewelry dating back to the pre-Hispanic times and decorative tribal items some of which are more than 4000 years old are on display here. Visitors to Manila can discover the richness of the country’s culture by visiting this museum, located close by are a block of Manila serviced apartments known as Ascott Makati that offer great accommodation packages for business travelers.