FOUR business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, with a combined 3,500 seats, are looking at Davao City for their expansion this year, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) in Davao Region reported.
"Several other big players in the BPO industry are also putting up shop in Davao, which bodes very well for our employment targets and statistics, since this sector is anticipated to provide more quality jobs this year. In fact, there will also be four BPO companies that will put up shop in Davao City, with a combined 3,500 seats," said Maria Lourdes D. Lim, Neda-Davao director, during her recent regional economic report.
But Lizabel G. Holganza, president of National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), told reporters at the sidelines of the General Membership Meeting of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (Cancham) at Park Inn Hotel Davao on Thursday that they cannot yet disclose the name and details of these four BPO companies.
"That is a rule for incoming investors. They don't want their identity reavealed until they have signed a contract already," she said, adding that she is also not in the position to say if these BPO investors have already signed a contract or not.
Holganza also said there have been visits from potential BPO investors around the last quarter of 2014 and earlier this year who are looking into putting up shop here in Davao City.
"But until such time..., we usually let the investor make that announcement themselves," she said.
Holganza and Lim said the recent developments in the BPO industry in Davao City show the growing confidence and interest of BPO investors to the city.
"More IT firms are eyeing to establish branches or offices in the Region with Davao City identified as one of the country's outstanding BPO destinations and a consistent Next Wave City," Lim said.
For her part, Holganza said Davao City being one of the top ten destinations for BPO locations has made the city a choice for potential BPO investors.
Lim said on top of the potential entries to the information communication technology (ICT)-BPO arena, existing BPOs are also planning to expand their workforce within the year.
"One of the BPO companies commencing operations in 2015 is Convergys, the country's largest BPO company. Convergys recently hired 1,000 agents for its operations in Davao City," she said.
Earlier, Sutherland Global Services announced that they are looking into expanding their manpower from some 2,000 to some 3,000 by the end of 2015.
For the first quarter alone, they will be hiring 700 more workers.