Pinoy SMEs rank high in Asia workplace list

The Philippines’ strong showing on Asia’s Best Workplaces list, particularly among small and medium enterprises, points to a nuanced labor market. Six of its 20 recognized companies are SMEs, a higher proportion than most Southeast Asian peers. This suggests that while the country faces a high projected turnover rate of 20 percent for skilled workers in 2026, smaller firms are effectively cultivating positive employee experiences. Information technology companies dominate the Philippine entries, accounting for eight of the 20 firms. This reflects the sector's importance to the national economy, employing 1.9 million people and generating about $40 billion in export revenue in 2025. However, the IT-BPM sector has revised its 2028 employment target downwards by 360,000 jobs, citing AI and global competition. The challenge for the Philippines will be to maintain its appeal as a workplace destination while navigating these shifts in its key employment sectors.