CEBU CITY -- A push towards the lucrative area of writing software will be Cebu’s strategy to improve its information technology-business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry, said an investment promotions official during an economic briefing on Friday.

Joel Mari S. Yu, Cebu Investment Promotions Center (CIPC) managing director, explained that this thrust is also in line with the recommendation of international research firm Tholons for Cebu to improve its knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) capabilities and make inroads in information technology outsourcing (ITO).

IT-BPO is one of two fast-growing sectors in Cebu, with export sales increasing from barely $200 million in 2005 to $1.5 billion in 2011 based on CIPC estimate, Mr. Yu said during the 2012 Cebu Annual Economic Forum and Investment Briefing initiated by the Cebu Business Club and the University of San Carlos (USC) Economics Department.

Records from the Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) said Cebu currently has 126 foreign direct locators, which employ around 65,000 workers according to CIPC.

The IT-BPO firms are distributed over the following locations: 72 in Asiatown IT Park and eight in Cebu Business Park in Cebu City, one in HVG IT Park in Mandaue City, and 45 in various other buildings.