DURING CEBU CITY CHARTER DAY: Mar Roxas, CIPC head, Akrho among awardees

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Government will celebrate its 73rd Charter Day on February 24 by giving recognition to people who made an important contribution for the city’s progress, especially to its present booming business process outsourcing industry.

First on the list of awardees are incumbent senator and vice presidential aspirant Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Cebu Investment Promotions managing director Joel Mari Yu, who, according to Mayor Tomas Osmeña, were instrumental in bringing the BPO to Cebu and the Philippines.

The mayor said that the success of the BPO in the city has provided around 50,000 jobs to Cebuanos.

“Do you know who deserves credit of what’s happening here in Cebu? One is Joel Yu of CIPC. Roughly all of the major call centers are here in Cebu because of Joel Yu. He was the one that’s been negotiating and convincing the call centers, and other outsourcing companies because he understands,” Osmeña said.

During the recent visit of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in Cebu, particularly in I.T. Park in Barangay Apas, she lauded the city for being the center for excellence in the area of information technology and for the success of BPO industry here.

“Yesterday (February 3), the president came here and said that Cebu is number one. Sayop! ‘Cebu City’ is number one. Wa’y labot ang probinsya,” Osmeña said.

He said that success of I.T. Park should be credited to Yu and Roxas who brought the BPO to the Philippines.

“It was Mar Roxas who demonstrated that call centers can be successful in the Philippines. He was the one who brought in Convergys. And when Convergys came here and started making money, then everybody lined up, then everybody came to the Philippines. We should give credit where credit is due,” Osmeña said.

The mayor said that without Roxas, the call centers will not be active in the Philippines and without Yu, the same will not be as successful here in Cebu.

“We’re just trying to demonstrate that Cebuanos must count their blessings,” he said. “Then I intend to give an award to Akrho (Alpha Kappa Rho).”

Osmeña said that it has been a big turn around from where the group was before to where it is now. He lauded the group by having gone to the extent of participating in the Sinulog and showing they have discipline.

From being an extremist who were previously engaged in violence, Akrho have decided to move and integrate itself in the mainstream society, he added.

“I think they deserve, and we deserve to recognize them. These are the things we take for granted. Kining mga people na supposed to be destabilizing our community, are actually even helping us now,” Osmeña noting the group’s participation to various activities and projects of the city.

A certificate of appreciation will also be given to the militant group “Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) for maintaining peace and order during the ASEAN summit in Cebu on 2007.

“I really appreciated them even more because last year, the ASEAN summit was cancelled in Thailand because the militants have caused trouble that even their own president had to take a helicopter to escape,” Osmeña said.

He said that if the same happened to Cebu during the summit, it would have been not successful at all.

Also among the awardees are Barangay Luz captain Nida Cabrera for getting the Galing Pook Award, the San Nicolas Police Station for being declared the model urban precinct nationwide and around 10 hotels under construction which Osmeña said will soon add to the income of the city. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/WAB   (FREEMAN NEWS)