Antagal pa ng 2008

Friday-Saturday, January 13-14, 2006 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
News
BY ROULEE JANE F. CALAYAG, Reporter

88,000 call center jobs seen in 2008

Eighty-eight thousand jobs are expected by 2008 from a partnership that will develop 400 to 500 small-and medium-sized call centers nationwide.

The partnership among tertiary education network STI, California-based solutions provider Five9, the Jobs Generation Office under the Office of the President, and the John F. Kennedy Center Foundation Philippines targets to make the Philippines the world’s next global customer care capital after India.

Under the agreement, the government will provide the policy environment; Five 9, the technology; JFK Center Foundation, the training; and STI, the infrastructure and manpower.

STI President Monico Jacob said the direction is to establish small and medium-sized call centers in STI facilities, with around 20 to 50 seats each.

He added that 80 STI campuses will be transformed into call centers at night with a pilot call center to be established in the STI Makati College campus this month.

Reuel Virtucio, STI vice-president, said the program will boost the employment rate with more graduates getting jobs in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.

STRONG RIPPLE

Junie Pama, Five9 country manager, said that employment in the ICT sector through the partnership would cause strong ripple effects in the economies of the 200 congressional districts in the Philippines.

He added that with more offices to be opened by Five9 in coming months in Baguio, Dagupan, Cebu, Iloilo and Davao, the jobs that will be generated may even exceed projections.

Celso Santiago, president and chief executive of the JFK Center Foundation, said the American organization "wants to fix the issue of quality which will be a global consideration over the long term."

Brian Silverman, Five9 president and chief executive, said the firm chose the Philippines as its headquarters in Southeast Asia because it offers the largest growth potential.

"We intend to build up our Asian presence through strategic alliances from our base in Manila," he said.