Speaking Out: Attraction of BPO industry
Atty. Ignacio R. Bunye - Tempo Editorial
Just a few years back, working in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry became the "in" job for young Filipinos hoping to earn impressive paychecks.
Our well-known command of the English language and sunny, good-natured disposition as a people—both requirements to work in the booming industry—were brought to the fore as buildings housing "call centers" mushroomed all over Metro Manila and other major cities.
Today, as the ongoing financial crisis throws its cloak of gloom over the world, the BPO industry has become more than the "in" thing. It is now seen as a ray of hope and another source of resiliency for the Philippine economy.
In addition to the Overseas Filipino remittance, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr. has called the BPO industry as "one of the bright spots in the economy" that the country could take advantage of. He explained that the Philippine-based BPO centers would maintain their competitiveness as companies become more cost-conscious.
Our other economic managers agree that the local BPO sector is less likely to be affected by the financial crisis because firms based in the United States and Europe would be forced to cut down their costs and outsource their operations in the Philippines where labor is cheaper.
At the onset of her administration, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo saw the bright prospect of the BPO industry. Immediately, President Arroyo launched an ambitious program to create and develop a "cyber-corridor," where investments in information and communications technology are to be concentrated. She complemented this with a manpower training program, quarterbacked by Tesda Chair Augusto Syjuco, which provided scholarship assistance in "call center English".
From eight provinces, the "cyber corridor" has been configured by Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila and the Commission on Information and Communication Technology Chair Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III, in cooperation with the Business Process Outsourcing Association of the Philippines, to now include 23 "next wave centers" -- Tuguegarao, Baguio, Dagupan, Urdaneta, Cabanatuan, Clark, San Fernando in Pampanga, Subic, Cainta, Bacoor, Sta. Rosa, Lipa, Batangas City, Camarines Sur, Legaspi, Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Cebu, Leyte, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and General Santos City.
Among those who were impressed with the President’s vision for the BPO industry and the world class Filipino workforce was Kenneth Tuchman of Teletech Telesystems, Inc. which has since joined the BPO bandwagon.
Starting with only 5,000 employees in 2005, Teletech currently employs 18,500 workers in its 12 customer management centers in Fort Bonifacio, Pasay, Novaliches, Cainta, Dumaguete, Bacolod, Lipa, Cebu, Bacoor, Iloilo, Pampanga, and Sta. Rosa Laguna. Recently, Teletech opened another BPO center in San Fernando in line with its plan to reach an employment goal of 25,000 in 2009.
Tuchman proclaims he has a soft heart for the Philippines. During his meeting with President Arroyo in Davos, Switzerland at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in February 2007, Tuchman revealed that he made his first buck as a teenage entrepreneur in the 70’s importing pukka shells from the Philippines.
Trade Secretary Peter Favila, who, together with this writer, also sits at the Monetary Board, said Teletech’s latest move reaffirms the economic management team’s position that the call center sector would not be entirely affected by the looming global financial crisis.
Others have remained just as bullish in the Philippines. The European financial giant Deutsche Bank plans to increase its workforce in the Philippines to about 2,500 from 1,600 next year.
Chris Sullivan, chief executive officer of Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd. (DKS), said that the German bank has migrated more than 30 percent of its global processes in offshore firms.
Sullivan likewise revealed that Deutsche Bank is set to target an increase in the ratio to 80 percent, particularly in the light of the present global financial crisis. He said that of the operations to be brought offshore, 60 to 70 percent would be based in the Philippines.
London-based HSBC also made another happy announcement last week. HSBC country manager Mark Watkinson said they plan to open up 1,000 new jobs in their global services hub near the University of the Philippines campus in Quezon City by next year.
Watkinson also revealed that the HSBC is considering other opportunities in the BPO sector aside from voice or call centers, which he said "the Philippines is known to be very good at."
Indeed, while the Philippines may not be immune from the global financial crisis, it certainly has some strong buffers, among them the BPO sector, in the weathering the storm.
Just a few years back, working in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry became the "in" job for young Filipinos hoping to earn impressive paychecks.
Our well-known command of the English language and sunny, good-natured disposition as a people—both requirements to work in the booming industry—were brought to the fore as buildings housing "call centers" mushroomed all over Metro Manila and other major cities.
Today, as the ongoing financial crisis throws its cloak of gloom over the world, the BPO industry has become more than the "in" thing. It is now seen as a ray of hope and another source of resiliency for the Philippine economy.
In addition to the Overseas Filipino remittance, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr. has called the BPO industry as "one of the bright spots in the economy" that the country could take advantage of. He explained that the Philippine-based BPO centers would maintain their competitiveness as companies become more cost-conscious.
Our other economic managers agree that the local BPO sector is less likely to be affected by the financial crisis because firms based in the United States and Europe would be forced to cut down their costs and outsource their operations in the Philippines where labor is cheaper.
At the onset of her administration, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo saw the bright prospect of the BPO industry. Immediately, President Arroyo launched an ambitious program to create and develop a "cyber-corridor," where investments in information and communications technology are to be concentrated. She complemented this with a manpower training program, quarterbacked by Tesda Chair Augusto Syjuco, which provided scholarship assistance in "call center English".
From eight provinces, the "cyber corridor" has been configured by Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila and the Commission on Information and Communication Technology Chair Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III, in cooperation with the Business Process Outsourcing Association of the Philippines, to now include 23 "next wave centers" -- Tuguegarao, Baguio, Dagupan, Urdaneta, Cabanatuan, Clark, San Fernando in Pampanga, Subic, Cainta, Bacoor, Sta. Rosa, Lipa, Batangas City, Camarines Sur, Legaspi, Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Cebu, Leyte, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and General Santos City.
Among those who were impressed with the President’s vision for the BPO industry and the world class Filipino workforce was Kenneth Tuchman of Teletech Telesystems, Inc. which has since joined the BPO bandwagon.
Starting with only 5,000 employees in 2005, Teletech currently employs 18,500 workers in its 12 customer management centers in Fort Bonifacio, Pasay, Novaliches, Cainta, Dumaguete, Bacolod, Lipa, Cebu, Bacoor, Iloilo, Pampanga, and Sta. Rosa Laguna. Recently, Teletech opened another BPO center in San Fernando in line with its plan to reach an employment goal of 25,000 in 2009.
Tuchman proclaims he has a soft heart for the Philippines. During his meeting with President Arroyo in Davos, Switzerland at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in February 2007, Tuchman revealed that he made his first buck as a teenage entrepreneur in the 70’s importing pukka shells from the Philippines.
Trade Secretary Peter Favila, who, together with this writer, also sits at the Monetary Board, said Teletech’s latest move reaffirms the economic management team’s position that the call center sector would not be entirely affected by the looming global financial crisis.
Others have remained just as bullish in the Philippines. The European financial giant Deutsche Bank plans to increase its workforce in the Philippines to about 2,500 from 1,600 next year.
Chris Sullivan, chief executive officer of Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd. (DKS), said that the German bank has migrated more than 30 percent of its global processes in offshore firms.
Sullivan likewise revealed that Deutsche Bank is set to target an increase in the ratio to 80 percent, particularly in the light of the present global financial crisis. He said that of the operations to be brought offshore, 60 to 70 percent would be based in the Philippines.
London-based HSBC also made another happy announcement last week. HSBC country manager Mark Watkinson said they plan to open up 1,000 new jobs in their global services hub near the University of the Philippines campus in Quezon City by next year.
Watkinson also revealed that the HSBC is considering other opportunities in the BPO sector aside from voice or call centers, which he said "the Philippines is known to be very good at."
Indeed, while the Philippines may not be immune from the global financial crisis, it certainly has some strong buffers, among them the BPO sector, in the weathering the storm.
Labels: bpo, call center, english
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9:22 PM
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1 Comments:
Philipinnes have lots of potential talents in BPO since most of the Filipinos are good English speakers
it support
By
Giovanni Carlo, at 5:23 PM
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