ITS booming business process outsourcing (BPO) sector has again gained Cebu City a place among the world’s best.

Tholons, an advisory company on global outsourcing and investments, included the city in a list of preferred outsourcing destinations in the world.

In its “Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations Report for 2013”, Tholons listed the city in eighth place. This is a notch higher compared to the city’s ranking last year.

Aside from Cebu, six other Philippine destinations were included in the list. Manila is now third, moving up from fourth last year. Davao ranked number 70; Sta. Rosa, Laguna, 84; Iloilo City, 93; Bacolod City, 94; and Baguio City, 99.

Tholons ranked the cities based on the quality, availability and skills of the workers in its BPO industry, cost of operations, infrastructure, cost of living, risk profile and quality of life, among others.

According to the report, the Philippines enjoy a more vibrant Information Technology (IT)-BPO industry than either Indonesia or Malaysia.

“Based on the events of 2012, the Philippines continued to garner interest from large, Western providers, not only as an offshore delivery location, but likewise as a potential rich domestic market for IT services,” Tholons said.

In 2012, 17 new BPO companies opened in Cebu.

The Cebu Investment Promotions Center estimates that there are already about 95,000 people employed in the BPO sector in Cebu.

Upon learning about the city’s recent achievement, Mayor Michael Rama said he welcomed the inclusion of the city in Tholons list.

“That wonderful accolade will be for all of us. It was a great surprise personally for me,” he said in his regular news conference yesterday.