The Philippine IT-BPM Sector Is Targeting $42 Billion and 1.97 Million Jobs in 2026

The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) is finalising its updated 2026 growth forecast under the industry's Roadmap 2028, targeting around 1.97 million full-time employees and roughly $42 billion in export revenue for the year.

The sector closed 2025 with solid momentum — adding an estimated 80,000 jobs and $2 billion in revenue to reach close to 1.9 million workers and $40 billion in exports, the first time the industry has cleared that $40 billion mark.

IBPAP's stated priorities for 2026 include scaling AI adoption responsibly, expanding global capability centres, and continued investment in workforce upskilling — a response, as one industry commentator put it, to a market where "AI is changing the nature of work, and global competition is raising expectations."

This is the fourth consecutive year of growth for an industry that's already one of the country's largest sources of private-sector employment and export earnings — a scale that keeps making the Philippines a default option for offshore teams, not just a low-cost one.

Roadmap 2028's higher-growth scenario points to 2.5 million jobs and $59 billion in revenue by 2028. Whatever the exact number that lands, the direction is the same: more capacity, more competition for good people, and more pressure on providers to differentiate on quality rather than headcount alone.

AI adoption is explicitly part of the plan, not an afterthought. Businesses evaluating an offshore partner should expect that conversation to come up — the providers with a real answer are the ones actively investing in it.