( CNN ) -- It is 1a.m . at the Manila offices of VXi and nearly everyone is on the phone . Hundreds of employees , each wearing a headset , are answering calls from thousands of miles away , providing technical advice and sales services to customers of some of the United States ' best-known companies . VXi is at the center of one of the Philippine 's greatest economic success stories of the last decade : call centers . Industry experts estimate that the industry here has grown to $ 11 billion and employs over 600,000 workers . That 's even more than in India . `` You 'd be hard pressed to find families that do n't have one person in their families employed in the call center industry , '' says Eppie Titong , senior site director at VXi 's Manila office . While the Philippines has struggled to grow other industries such as manufacturing or tourism , the country has found it is uniquely positioned to excel in the call center business . Thanks to historical ties to the United States , the Philippines has a large , English-speaking population , with an accent that many consider light or easy for the American ear . Most Filipinos are also familiar with American cultural exports , ranging from American Idol to Krispy Kreme donuts . This informal bond , employers say , makes it easier for them to relate to Americans over the telephone . Philippine culture is also known for its hospitality . `` We are friendly , '' says call center supervisor Audison `` Ives '' Tan Dejos . `` We do care . We have the empathy . '' On the economic front , the Philippines is an affordable place to do business . An entry-level call center employee can make about $ 470 a month , which is a very good salary for the Philippines but far less than their counterparts are paid in the U.S. or Europe . The influx of outsourced jobs is a major gift for a country that struggles to put its more than 90 million people to work . The official unemployment rate is around 7 % and many people are forced to settle for part-time jobs . Not that the call center industry is going to fix all the country 's employment problems . 600,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to the size of the population and these jobs are targeted primarily at those with a college education . `` Who can provide jobs for moderately skilled workers like high school graduates or less educated workers ? '' asks Norio Usui , Senior Country Economist at the Asian Development Bank . `` The Philippines has plenty of such workers also . '' For Tan Dejos , whose wife also works at VXi , the work is stressful at times but it allows them to comfortably support their three children . He does n't mind the night shift , he says , and he likes the challenge of being in an emerging industry . Would he want his kids to work at a call center ? `` I would , '' he says without hesitation . `` It 's really up to them . ''
Philippines has more call center workers than India . Industry experts estimate the business is worth $ 11 billion . Soft accent and historical ties to U.S. make it popular with American companies .