PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS (PwC) has invested around P1 billion in an Acceleration Center in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig.
On Wednesday, PwC inaugurated its 2,500-square-meter Acceleration Center in BGC, which aims to hire 2,000 Filipinos over the next two to three years.
“If you look at this wonderful office, it will give you a hint that this development is probably about close to a billion pesos,” PwC Philippines Chairman and Senior Partner Roderick Danao said on the sidelines of the inauguration.
“Not only the facilities, but the technology component that you cannot actually see visibly, is very expensive,” Mr. Danao added.
He said that PwC’s investment extends beyond the facility to workforce development.
“[Our] investment here is not just the facility. It’s a combination of the development of the real estate piece and, of course, the people development, which is more expensive because we are going to hire thousands of people,” he said.
The new office will initially focus on high-demand areas such as Guidewire, SAP, and Oracle, aligning with businesses’ needs in navigating the evolving technological landscape.
PwC Acceleration Centers Leader Hari Kumar said the firm chose to expand in the Philippines due to the quality of its workforce.
“Generally because of high-quality skills. But the other components that I will add to this are the fact that they (Filipinos) are committed, honest, and they work hard. And most importantly, they are good humans,” Mr. Kumar said.
“Building the skills is one part of it, but the human part of it was very significant for us. And that’s one of the reasons I’ll tell you that the Philippines and Manila have been a huge commitment for us, and we will expand further in the Philippines as well,” he added.
The Acceleration Center will focus on jobs in high-end technology and innovation, including artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
“But we are not expecting everybody to come in with all the talent. But the idea is for us to train and build the skills along with everything,” Mr. Kumar said.
PwC Acceleration Center Manila General Manager and Partner Nilesh Sharma highlighted Filipinos’ strong customer-centric approach as a key factor in PwC’s success in the country.
“Nothing is too hard for them. The resilience they exhibit every single day is why we’ve been so successful in the last 15 or so years here and 100 years beyond that. And that is the basis and the foundation on which we want to build and pivot into these amazing new areas,” he added.
PwC has around 6,400 employees in the Philippines, with 2,900 serving local clients and 3,500 serving global clients. It has offices in Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, and Pasig, as well as a practice firm in Makati City.
The new facility currently serves PwC clients from 26 countries, including the US, Australia, and New Zealand.
“And that is going to expand. Just because our network of PwC is so big, so naturally it’s going to expand,” Mr. Kumar said. — Justine Irish DP. Tabile
