CICT, DTI team up to pursue outsourcing growth

By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net

The Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) is collaborating with two key government agencies to develop more ICT hubs that can accommodate outsourcing-related investments.

BPA/P, an umbrella group covering different segments within BPO, announced it will sign a memorandum of agreement on Thursday with the Commission on ICT (CICT) and the Department of Trade and Industry-Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG).

DTI undersecretary Carissa Cruz-Evangelista and CICT chair Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua will represent their respective agencies in the MOA signing.

This collaboration is aligned with BPA/P's target to grow industry revenues to at least $12 billion and add more than half a million more workers by 2010.

According to BPA/P, the partnership with the government will cover the following initiatives:

• developing an industry-wide outsourcing and offshoring "scorecard" which would identify each location's capabilities in terms of human resource, business environment, ICT infrastructure, telecommunications cost, real estate, etc.

• institutionalizing the ICT councils within these designated hubs representing the private sector and local government units

• creating ICT strategic plans for these hubs, strengthening their available ICT resources, developing niches/centers of IT excellence, and assisting in marketing and promotional efforts

The overall goal is to generate more revenues for the industry and employment opportunities in the provinces.

Under the current administration's CyberServices Corridor project, the CICT has already identified some 35 locations nationwide that can be developed into ICT hubs.