Cebu to hold roadshow on BPO services in UK

Thursday, January 19, 2012

BEFORE a bill pending in the US Congress discouraging companies from outsourcing gets passed, Cebu hopes to cushion possible effects on the business process outsourcing industry by tapping other markets.

Cebu Investment Promotions Center managing director Joel Mari Yu said they are partnering with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) to hold a roadshow in the United Kingdom to present Cebu as an investment destination.

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They have tentatively scheduled it for the middle of this year.

Yu said it is only logical to choose the UK as potential investors because it is the
only English-speaking country in the eurozone.

To maintain Cebu’s advantage in the BPO industry, Yu said it has to continue its advantages in information technology.

He said that selling Cebu will not be so difficult, given its track record.

He pointed put that it is in Tholons’ top 10 list of outsourcing destination, staying in the ninth spot for two years in a row.

He said that investors who are not familiar with Cebu will “still pay attention” because of its place in the Tholons list. Tholons is a strategic advisory firm for global outsourcing and investments.

Yu explained that by naming the established companies who are already doing business in Cebu, it will not be a tough sell for them.

“Nothing sells better than being able to (identify) who is already here. We just name the companies and it’s an automatic sell,” he said.

Earlier, Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7 officer-in-charge Exequiel Sarcauga admitted that while there are other foreign companies outsourcing their operations to the Philippines, The United States holds the biggest share.

US House Bill 3596 or the Call Center and Consumers Protection Bill discourages outsourcing by making those that outsource ineligible for federal grants and loans for five years.

Companies are also required to disclose physical location of agents in customer service and allowed the option to be transferred to a local agent. Companies that fail to report overseas locations risk paying a penalty of $10,000 a day.