3 Pasig bldgs get IT-zone status

The Sangguniang Panglungsod of Pasig has granted information technology (IT)-zone status to three buildings located at the Barangay San Antonio-Ortigas area in an effort to attract more business outsourcing companies to locate in the area.

In three separate resolutions numbered 263, 264 and 265, the Pasig City Council approved the granting of PEZA Zone Status to Orient Square Building, Wynsum Corporate Plaza and Octagon Building.

Both Orient Square Building and Wynsum Corporate Plaza are located along Don Francisco Ortigas Sr. Avenue, Barangay San Antonio, while Octagon Building is located at San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center.

According to Pasig City Councilor and leading IT advocate Robert "Bobby" Eusebio, Pasig has become a favored location of business outsourcing companies such as call centers because of its ideal geographical location, being at the center of Metro Manila and highly accessible to public transport, business-friendly environment and the available modern technological infrastructure such as fiber optic lines.

"We expect that the granting of tax holidays to IT locators will attract more investors and generate the much-needed jobs for Pasig City residents that will offset whatever negative impact it may have on the city’s revenue collection," Councilor Eusebio said.

"Our goal is to make Pasig the call center hub of the country," he added.

Pasig’s property sector has benefited from the call center boom, with call centers currently occupying a total floor area of 31,483 square meters of prime office space.

Presently, there are 12 call centers operating in Pasig, with six more applying for business permits at City Hall.

Records of the city’s Business Permits and Licensing Office show that Pasig-based call centers employ a total of 6,718 employees.

Among the large-scale call center locators in Pasig are Ambergris Solutions Phils., Inc. which employs 2,969 workers, Sykes Asia, Inc. with 1,200 employees and Client Logic Philippines, Inc. with 938 employees.

Pasig’s call center industry has also created a burgeoning market for ancillary businesses such as convenience stores and food joints operating on a 24-hour basis to service the needs of call center employees.