Norkis plans IT park project in Mandaue

CEBU, Philippines – The Norkis Group of Companies is going to convert its three-hectare property in Mandaue City into an Information Technology (IT) Park, in the next two to three years.

Norkis Group chairman Dr. Norberto B. Quisumbing Jr., announced that the company's master plan to venture into the promising BPO-real estate development is now on the drawing board.

According to Quisumbing, the company is open for joint-venture deals with interested BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) companies for the establishment of buildings or it may be done through lease-contract agreement with Norkis.

As the company's headquarters and plant will be moved to its 100-hectare property in Compostela, north of Cebu, Quisumbing said Norkis is also taking advantage of the promising BPO market, which is also considered as the largest employer in the country today.

To be called Norkis IT Park, the initial plan is to build eight high-rise buildings suited for the BPO clients, as well as the establishment of an Academy for ESL (English as Second Language) in partnership with a big university in Cebu.

Once completed, the father of the Norkis Group said that the Park can easily employ more or less 20, 000 to 30,000 people.

BPO, he said is a good employment generator for the country in this generation, and in line with this thrust to provide more employment to Cebuanos, keeping them from working abroad, Quisumbing said establishment of an IT Park in Mandaue is one of the solutions to unemployment.

He admitted that the Norkis group like other companies is losing good people to high paying BPO companies. Although, the company will continue to expand its core business in manufacturing, marketing, financing, agri-business, export, and real estate, entering into BPO market is not only good for the Group's growth, but also to the Cebu constituents.

"The reality is-BPO is here to stay," Quisumbing said in an interview Thursday.

Aside from the eight high-rise buildings that will be designed for the BPO company locators, and the ESL academy, the company also plans to put up residential condominiums for the employees working within the park.

Adjacent to Norkis' three-hectare property in Mandaue City, is the ongoing construction of a leisure and shopping destination being developed by exporter Justin Uy. The Norkis IT Park will complement with Uy's development, he said specifically that part of Uy's plan is also to establish a five-star hotel within the area.

Quisumbing lauded the efforts of the present Mandaue City administration led by Mayor Jonas Cortes in providing an investor-friendly environment, which further encouraged more capitalists to invest in the City.

Although, he said good urban-planning for zoning in Mandaue should be implemented, in order to attract local and foreign investors.

Norkis, one of the country's transportation and retail financing giants operate more than 300 retail financing branches around the Philippines and is employing over 6,000 people, of which mostly are Cebuanos. (FREEMAN)