BPM stakeholders ask, How prepared is Cebuto ensure biz continuity?

CEBU, Philippines - Even as the Cebu City government has an office tasked to manage risk in times of disasters, the local government unit still lacks the capacity to assist industries and ensure business continuity during calamitous times.

Alvin Santillana of the Cebu City risk reduction and disaster recovery office said that while there is no ordinance yet requiring companies to employ effective business continuity program, business continuity in time of disasters and emergencies is still at risk.

Santillana was sent by the Cebu City government to answer Business Process Management (BPM) stakeholders on the readiness of Cebu to reduce disaster risks, following last year's 7.2 magnitue earthquake and the super typhoon in November of the same year.

He said while the city has hired people in the risk reduction office to address needs such as providing drills to companies and communities, further training will still be needed as these are "politically hired" people and competence of the skills still has to be re-evaluated.

Although big companies such as multinational outsourcing firms have their own in-house program for business continuity in times of natural disasters and other emergencies, stakeholders and investors are also interested in knowing how Cebu City, as their host city is prepared in helping them manage risk in disasters such as typhoons, flood, and earthquake, among others.

Business continuity is the ability of an organization or business to proceed operation at the onset of disaster.

Cebu still needs to introduce its emergency three-digit telephone line aside from the existing 161 (ERUF), and 160 (Fire Department), Santillana said.

While the Cebu City government is still addressing this concern to assure investors of its readiness to respond and aid businesses that may be affected by disasters and emergecy risks, which has a tremendous effects to economic flow, Santillana said a strong collaboration from the private sector, aside from setting effective regulations and laws pertaining to this issue is important.

Big outsourcing companies in Cebu, such as Lexmark Shared Service, Qualfon, Aegis People Support, ePLDT have their own respective business continuity programs that allow them to continue operations immediately after the earthquake and typhoon that happend last year.

With that experience, industry stakeholders not only the BPO sector, are called to employ their own business continuity program, as "Business Continuity" and "Disaster Recovery" preparedness is not seen as something "nice" to have, but its imperative. (FREEMAN)