Metro Manila, the Philippines’ Core

The Dominant Metropolis Looms Large in the Archipelago

Metro Manila is a typically Asian megacity. Torn between urbanity and urban blight, 14 million Manileños live there. Another 2-4 million workers stream into the greater Manila Area for work each day, according to a recent Rappler article.

Also called the National Capital Region, or NCR, Metro Manila is the central axis of the country’s economic, political, and media orbit. Big and boisterous, Manila attracts people looking for work, eager young graduates drawn to the flame of its opportunities, as well as all manner of regional and international merchants.

Metro Manila: Your First Stop for Outsourcing

Interviewing BPOs or Call Centers for outsourcing work? It’s a good bet that your search will begin in Manila. As the metropolis claims about 13% of the archipelago’s population, it claims most of its outsourcing companies and offshore service delivery centers. No doubt, you will probably visit some of Metro Manila’s nineteen cities. If you’ve decided to use a provincial center, you will likely transit through Manila to connect to your next domestic flight.

Manila: Many Cities in One Sprawling Urban Cluster

The challenge of moving between the various cities of Metro Manila is one of the things that took us unaware years ago when we scheduled a series of appointments to tour call centers.

Metro Manila is several different cities — one called Manila, confusingly enough — and rolled into one giant urban environment. Even distances of a few kilometers can take time to traverse.

The BPO Locator Brief - Manila

Metro Manila offers the best selection of educated, talented applicants. In many ways, its dynamic echoes the song, On Broadway: “if I can make it here, I can make it anywhere.” Unsurprisingly, people fetch higher salaries in Manila than in provincial locales, and the rates are consistent throughout the metropolis.

Rents vary widely from city to city, often hewing to a township’s general affluence. Likewise, taxes and compliance costs can differ from place to place within the context of the NCR.

Overall, Metro Manila is well-suited to the 24x7 go-go call center culture that permeates the broader BPO industry. Food and transportation keep agents pouring into centers and fed during breaks. Many agents flip to the cadence of a BPO’s client account for years on end.

Cities Covered

  • Makati City
  • Bonifacio Global City (BCG) -  Taguig
  • Manila (Coming soon)
  • Eastwood City (Coming soon)
  • Ortigas - Pasig & Mandaluyong (Coming soon)
  • Quezon City
  • Alabang & Muntinlupa