A BUSINESS process outsourcing (BPO) company is interested in investing in the first building that will be constructed in the proposed Call Center City in the South Road Properties (SRP).
Qualfon president Abelardo Cruz met with Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña last Monday to express his company’s support on the matter.
But before the project can start, Osmeña said interested investors like Cruz want to wait until after the 2019 elections.
“Investors told me ‘You have to win the elections first.’ They like the project. They told me. But how can they enter right now and I’m not mayor anymore?” he said.
Once it gets started, Osmeña said there can be a private-public partnership between the City Government and interested investors.
But it’s still up for discussion on whether the project will undergo a public bidding or a Swiss challenge.
“There are many variations, but the important thing is to make it easy for the call center agent. Bidding is where you get the highest and lowest price. But it can also be a Swiss challenge, which is a form of auction,” Osmeña said.
The mayor said that if it will undergo a Swiss challenge, the original proponent can match the lucrative price raised and get back the project.
He said that in a survey conducted by the Cebu City Call Center Program, around 95 percent of 11,000 call center agents are interested in the program.
Since last year, the mayor has been vocal that the BPO city is “very high” priority because this will partially replace the City’s college scholarship program.
He said he wants agents to continue with their schooling. To make it convenient for them, classes for undergraduate and graduate studies will be in the same building where they work.
The project is expected to produce at least 30,000 masters degree holders annually. It’s also expected to generate 150,000 jobs.
“We plan to incorporate a dormitory in the same complex. You will have to consider taking a pay cut of 30 to 40 percent to pay for your board and schooling, but the idea is that you come out of this program completely debt-free while still earning enough to survive. The City will do its share to help. If there are enough BPO workers interested, Cebu City will lend land for free. That’s our contribution to make it financially feasible for the stakeholders: investors, schools, BPOs and most importantly you, the Cebuano worker,” Osmeña said.
The proposed project, which will cover more than 60 hectares in Pond A, will be three times bigger than the IT Park.
Stores, gyms, bars, restaurants and movie theaters are expected to rise in the area.