THURSDAY was just a typical morning for the employees and customers, mostly call center agents who were just coming out of their shift from nearby business process outsourcing companies, of a fast food chain along Paseo de Roxas in Makati City.

But not until a lady known for her regular Marian Blue-colored dress arrived and surprised everyone as she ordered a breakfast meal for herself and joined them for a chitchat.

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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who initially greeted the stunned customers and crew good morning, personally ordered a longanisa (pork sausage) meal comprised of garlic rice, fried sausage, fried egg, and coffee for herself from the counter where she was attended to by an “all-smiling” crew before she joined a group of call center agents who were there for an early morning snack.

The President’s visit was similar to what then US President-elect Barrack Obama did in January when he stopped by for lunch at the Ben's Chili Bowl diner in Washington where he ordered the house specialty of chili half-smoke sausage.

In all the excitement about the visit of Obama, who was to be sworn in as president in more than a week’s time, he was forced to return to the counter after somebody forgot to put cheese on his hotdog. He gladly ate the food when it was finally served as he chatted with his companions and some of the customers.

In Arroyo’s visit, where she was joined by Commission on Information and Communications Technology Chairman Anthony Chua, she made her own coffee as she chatted with more than a dozen BPO employees from People Support, Convergys, DSM Manila and E-Telecare who was seated next to her.

She personally informed them of her administration’s “deliberate” spending for the training of more people to work for the BPO industry through the programs conducted by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP).

She also promised to look into BPO employees’ request for the extending the operation hours of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) System plying Edsa to midnight, from its present 10 p.m. last trip schedule.

Arroyo during the interaction noted that despite working as a call center agent and at odd hours, the employees are still able to have and maintain a family, continue schooling, even get a day job if working only as a part-time employee, and “do your whatever leisure activities…you have to have a life”

She also thanked them for their contributions as the BPO industry remains strong in country before leaving to proceed to the General Membership Meeting of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines at the nearby Philiamlife Tower also along Paseo de Roxas.

The BPO industry in the country is comprised of call centers, medical and legal transcription, animation, software and other BPOs that include management consultancy, hardware consultancy, data processing, financial and accounting services and engineering services. (JMR/Sunnex)