CANADIAN companies will invest and provide financing commitments worth $130.89 million (P8.34 billion) to expand their operations in the Philippines’ information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) and digital services sectors, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Wednesday.
The commitments were announced at a July 3 roundtable led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Trade Secretary Cristina Roque with major IT-BPM Canadian firms in customer experience, cybersecurity, enterprise software, financial services and global capability operations.
Participating companies included BlackBerry, CGI, Everise, IntouchCX, Manulife, NQX, OpenText, Sun Life and TELUS.
The investments are expected to create high-quality jobs, accelerate digital transformation and strengthen the Philippines’ position as a global technology hub, DTI said.
Among the planned investments, enterprise software firm OpenText said it intends to expand its Philippine operations in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and other advanced digital technologies.
It also proposed an $8 to $10-million cloud transformation project with BDO over the next five years.
OpenText likewise expressed interest in supporting the government’s digitalization efforts through AI-enabled public services, cybersecurity, secure cloud infrastructure, digital records modernization and digital forensics.
The company currently employs over 1,300 professionals in Makati, providing software development, implementation, customer support, managed services, enterprise information management, cybersecurity and cloud solutions for clients across the Asia-Pacific and other markets.
“OpenText’s plans align with our national agenda to build a robust, secure digital economy,” Roque said.
At the meeting, the government highlighted investment reforms, including the Create More Act, the Public-Private Partnership Code and Executive Order 18 establishing the Green Lane for Strategic Investments, Roque noted.
According to the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines, the country’s IT-BPM industry generated about $40 billion in revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach $42 billion this year.
Philippine-Canada bilateral merchandise trade reached $3.4 billion in 2025. Canada is the Philippines’ 16th-largest trading partner and sixth-largest export market in Asean.
