MANILA — Labor group BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN) said the ongoing debate in the United States over proposals to return customer service jobs to the country underscores the Philippines’ continued reliance on labor export as a development strategy.

In a statement, BIEN said the country’s economy remains heavily dependent on both overseas employment and the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

“While outsourcing has created jobs for millions of Filipinos, the government cannot continue treating export labor as the centerpiece of national development,” the group said.

BIEN said Filipino workers have long been told that attracting foreign investors through low labor costs would drive economic growth, but argued that many employees continue to experience low wages, insecure jobs, and uncertainty whenever foreign governments or companies change their policies.

“For decades, workers were told that attracting foreign investors through cheap labor would bring prosperity. Today, industry leaders are defending outsourcing on the basis of ‘cost efficiency,’ while workers continue to face low wages, job insecurity, and growing uncertainty whenever foreign governments or corporations change direction,” it said.

The labor group noted that despite the billions of dollars generated each year through overseas Filipino worker remittances and the BPO sector, many workers remain economically vulnerable.

According to BIEN, the broader issue goes beyond whether outsourcing jobs remain in the Philippines or return to the United States.

“The discussion should not end with whether outsourcing jobs stay or leave. The more important question is why our development strategy remains so dependent on exporting Filipino labor, whether physically or digitally,” the group said.

“Workers deserve an economy that creates secure jobs, raises living standards, and expands opportunities beyond cheap labor. Filipino workers should not have their livelihoods dictated by decisions made in foreign boardrooms and governments,” it added.