CEBU City Vice Mayor-elect Tomas Osmeña has announced comprehensive plans to support the city’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) workers. These initiatives, discussed with Foundever representatives on Thursday, June 19, 2025, include reintroducing shuttle buses, establishing one-stop shops for essential services and creating dedicated facilities for single mothers.
Osmeña highlighted common challenges faced by BPO employees, especially those on night shifts, such as transportation and difficulty accessing daytime services.
He aims to “cut down the turnover because of the mental health problems that all the employees are suffering,” ultimately helping them “enjoy their lives a little better.”
Osmeña envisions the City Government acting as “waiters” for BPO workers by offering 24-hour services for essential transactions. He metaphorically called this the “Mayor of the Night” concept.
To address the “unholy hours” forcing graveyard shift workers to sacrifice sleep for tasks like renewing driver’s licenses or NBI clearances, he proposed one-stop centers within BPO hubs like Cebu Business Park and IT Park. These centers would offer services from agencies like Land Transportation Office, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Pag-Ibig Fund.
“We’re demand-driven,” he said, promising to deliver services based on worker needs to ensure successful implementation.
Osmeña plans to reintroduce a commuter shuttle system designed entirely by BPO workers themselves. Employees will map their home locations and work hours, allowing the City to create efficient, demand-based routes. The pilot program will begin with three free City-provided buses, with private partners eventually joining a subscription model.
He also proposed a unique initiative for single mothers in the BPO industry. This involves communal living in a dedicated building with shared transportation, childcare and all living expenses covered by partner companies. Inspired by the Israeli kibbutz model, this aims to make single mothers more productive and financially secure.
The vice mayor-elect unveiled plans to convert a five-hectare property at the South Road Properties (SRP) into a live-in training facility. This center would offer out-of-school youth and BPO workers without formal education the chance to train, complete their studies and earn diplomas.
He stressed the urgency of this “most ambitious” project to upskill the workforce and maintain competitiveness amidst automation and artificial ntelligence advancements. / ANTONETTE ARRABIS, CNU INTERN AND JEANNETTE ARINQUE, HOLY NAME UNIVERSITY INTERN