PGMA lauds Cebu designation as world’s top BPO destination

CEBU CITY, Feb. 5 (PNA) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday lauded the province of Cebu for being named the Top 2009 Emerging Global Outsourcing Destination by Tholons, a global outsourcing advisory firm.

Tholons is India-based, with branches in the world’s major capitals. In a recent survey, it ranked Cebu at the top of 50 cities all over the world in scale and quality of workforce, modern infrastructure, risk profile, cost of operation, and quality of life.

In her speech before officers and employees of Qualfon Quality Contact Services at Asiatown IT Park here, the President said the city’s world-class workforce nicely dovetails with the Cyber Corridor established by her administration.

In her 2006 State of the Nation Address, the President announced the creation of the Cyber Corridor, where ICT (information and communications technology) and BPO (business outsourcing process) firms can locate their operation.

"Aside from miles and miles of roads that are now three-fourths complete, a 200-megawatt power plant will be constructed here next year. And as we can see, Asiatown IT Park facilities are available to accommodate ICT-BPO locators,” the President said.

"Cebu is attractive to investors because of the high quality of graduates from nine universities and 50 colleges," she said.

The President stressed that the rise of the $ 7-billion BPO industry can be traced to her administration’s strategic investments in three areas, namely connectivity infrastructure backbone, appropriate policy and legal environment, and human capital.

She said the government heavily invested in human development by providing more than 5,000 schools with computers, 4,000 of them with Internet connection.

According to the President, she has established three times more technical schools than the three previous administrations combined.

“Thanks to the Cyber Corridor, billions of pesos in investments poured into the country, creating half a million jobs in BPO industry alone," she said. “It is this big number of livelihood opportunities that is part of the legacy I am leaving behind.” (PNA)
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