DTI promotes areas outside Metro Manila as BPO hubs

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will aggressively promote areas outside Metro Manila as potential business process outsourcing (BPO) hubs in an attempt to meet the target of creating one million jobs within three years.

The BPO sector, which employed over 200,000 last year, is projected to grow to about one million jobs in 2010. 

In a statement, Trade Undersecretary for regional operations Carissa Cruz-Evangelista said improved infrastructure, combined with abundant information technology (IT)-capable manpower, has made regions outside the metropolis attractive locations for various BPO-oriented services.

Evangelista said among the good BPO sites outside Metro Manila are Bacolod City; Baguio City; Cagayan de Oro; Clark, Pampanga; Davao; Iloilo; Leyte; San Fernando, La Union; Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Subic.

Three years ago, there were no e-services companies operating outside Metro Manila. However, Evangelista said since a lot of companies have since signified interest to set up shop in the country, the investments spilled over to neighboring areas.

"Investors are seeing that the regions are profitable places for business activities," Evangelista explained.

Presently, there are 38 BPO firms located in Bacolod, Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Iloilo, Leyte and Sta. Rosa, Laguna.  Firms operating in the regions include call center/customer care, medical transcription, software development, and animation/computer graphics.

The DTI officials said they are optimistic more companies will come in, thereby developing regional IT hubs like Baguio which now houses Client Logic and PeopleSupport. Regional IT hubs, provinces and cities capable of ICT investment, software and e-services, have been proven attractive with the increase in the number of locators in areas outside Metro Manila. 

"Notable BPOs are now in the regions which include InfoNXX, ePLDT Ventus, Client Logic and Teletech.  These are multi-million investments that translate to jobs that will further spur the development of the countryside," Evangelista said.  "It is important that our IT-competent cities and provinces be recognized in the global economy, encouraging more investments in the countryside."