Decade Becomes Landmark for Cebu BPO
The past ten years have been a good ride for the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry of Cebu. From its humble beginnings to its enormous success, specifically from year 2009 up to the present, Cebu surely snagged a title as one of the growing cities worldwide.
Aside from the call center industry that continues grow, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry is also emerging into a competitive one, constituting a fair percentage of Cebu's BPO Industry and also contributing to the industry in a national level.
Due to these two industry bodies growing in coordination not only in Cebu but throughout the country, the government is optimistic of achieving the target revenue of the Philippine BPO industry, which is $50 billion by 2016.
Louis Casambre, executive director of DOST-ICTO (Department of Science and Technology-Information and Communications Technology Office), who spoke during Cebu's ICT and BPO Conference, believes that the target can be easily achieved, given the rate the industry is growing.
The gross product revenue of the BPO Industry of Philippines last year was $10.9 billion, the second highest contribution, next to the remittances of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Casambre said that the $50 billion target will create more job opportunities for both professionals and fresh graduates of the country.
With the support of some government agencies, the ICT industry has set up programs to acquire a fresh batch of human resource and to enhance its existing workforce in coping up with the latest BPO technologies and be ready for the goal of the BPO Industry of Philippines.
The objectives of the programs include the following: improving the ICT policy environment, expanding the E-government project, obtaining Internet access for all, having a Cyber Security Program, and continuing the development of ICT and ICT-enabled industries.
Casambre pointed out the priority for securing government websites with the application of the Cyber Security Program, which functions to prevent unauthorized access to government sites. This, he said, goes hand in hand with the E-government program.
“We have taken steps to secure the key sites under the care of the DOST but this is really only the surface of the task at hand. In collaboration with other national government agencies, as well as our partners in the private sector, we are developing security policies and standards that are to be implemented across all government agencies,” he added.
Another project in his office is the development of a National Broadband Plan, a clear Philippine ICT R&D Roadmap, and other proposals to achieve a progressive and reasonable telecommunication policy environment.
They are also working on an unused TV spectrum as a way to provide broadband access to areas that do not have access to the Internet. This is in line with the Internet-for-all program.“We launched the TV White Space Initiative to explore the utilization of unused TV spectrum to provide rural broadband access, in turn making delivery of educational content and expertise, basic and specialized medical know-how, and even e-commerce possible.”
The technology will also allow them to blanket the countryside with sensor networks that will feed, among others, the DOST’s National Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) project with data, allowing it to protect communities and industries.
He added that another goal is to become an ICT-enabled government by 2016. He sees it feasible and believes that this is what the public and the businesses of the country deserve.
The ICT arm of the BPO industry of Philippines is doing its part in contributing constructive changes to the economy of the country. Investor confidence in the country is at an all-time high and many foreign clients have considered Philippines as a good BPO destination.
A report from HSBC predicts that the country will become the 16th largest economy in the world by the middle of the century, 27 places up from today.
Indeed, this decade has become a landmark for the ICT industry of the country, with Cebu as a contributor to the industry's success.
About the Author
Publish on 07/26/2012
is a freelance copywriter, with majority of her work focusing on the outsourcing industry.
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BPO-related jobs are indeed increasing in popularity and number. Thanks to the internet and skilled workers, the country is able to make large contributions. I am glad to know that an internet for all program has been established.
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