BOI woos 6 US BPO firms to invest in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines - The Board of Investments (BOI) is wooing six US business process outsourcing (BPO) firms to invest in the country.

In an interview with reporters, BOI managing head Cristino L. Panlilio said he is wooing six US firms to invest here.

Panlilio said they expect a combined investments of $100 million from the six firms with a total job creation also expected to hit 10,000.

He refused to name the six firms because the investment is still under negotiation. Of the six, he said three are almost sure.

Earlier, American insurance firm Aetna Insurance has put up a facility in the Mall of Asia (MOA). The BPO facility has the capacity to employ 1,000 nurses in the coming years.

Earlier, DTI Assistant Secretary Felicitas A. Reyes said American insurance giant Aetna Insurance has built a BPO that employs seasoned nurses.

Reyes explained that this is not an ordinary BPO operation because the nurses will be approving insurance claims. In the United States, the nurses approve the insurance claims. This particular service is already being performed by nurses in US hospitals.

The nurses will be given the data and they have the authority to approve. However, Reyes explained that the nurses cannot decline the claim because under US laws only doctors are allowed to disapprove the claim.

Aetna Insurance has an existing facility in MOA. They have 250 nurses working now and it is expected to grow to 1,000 in the coming years.

Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates.