Cebu City wants to declare special ‘BPO Day’ to honor sector’s economic impact

The information communications technology-business process management industry needs the help of government to sustain its growth. (INQUIRER FILE)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City’s economy has benefited significantly from the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. The City Council plans to honor the dedicated workers in this sector by declaring a special ‘BPO Day’.

Councilor Pancrasio “Francis” Esparis has recently proposed the “Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) Industry Day Ordinance of 2023”, which has been passed on second reading and is now set for the final reading during the upcoming session on April 24.

“The BPO industry has infused billions of pesos into the economy of Cebu City and has employed thousands of Cebuanos and even non-Cebuanos…through years since its establishment in Cebu, the industry has grown from strength to strength and has, in fact, prevailed against the economic ill-effects of COVID-19 because the men and women of the industry shouldren on,” reads a portion of Esparis’ proposal.

The BPO Day is intended to highlight the importance of the BPO industry in Cebu City’s economic growth and to acknowledge the efforts of both employees and employers.

Originally set for March 28, the day when the city was under Enhanced Community Quarantine during the pandemic, the Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Styling suggested moving it to April 1.

This date symbolizes the return of BPO workers to on-site work after pandemic restrictions eased. Additionally, a BPO company representative suggested renaming it to Business Process Management during a public hearing on March 6, saying that “it is already now an expanded business process.”

“So, while 60% remains to be Contact Centers, but the 40% is already composed of knowledge process outsourcing (KPOs) search services and in-house centers. So, the term BPM is more inclusive compared to BPO,” Darwin John Moises, vice president of Cebu IT BPM Organization (CIB.O).

“Just for the numbers, there are over 300 companies already in the IT-BPM space, employing around 200,000 people, and if we are to include in the measure for indirect employment that is about 550,000 people,” Moises added.

Moises also suggested celebrating BPO Day on March 28, because that was the “time when the ECQ was implemented and that was also the time that we have a greater appreciation of the heroic efforts of the employees in the industry.”

“As we noticed, just when the city was hiding at that time because of the impact of the virus, all the ITBPM buildings were well-lit. So, its people continue to work,” Moises added.

During the hearing, Esparis and Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia both acknowledged March 28. Additionally, Hazel Aguisanda, a BPO company representative, thanked Esparis for the proposed ordinance during the public hearing.

“We are very grateful that dako kaayo among pasalamat nga after being here in Cebu for I think almost 20 years, at least, for Cebu, the industry has been formally recognized by the Cebu City Government,” Aguisanda said.

Representing her company and the BPO industry in Cebu, she expressed gratitude for the formal recognition from the council. During the council’s recent session, Esparis acknowledged the recommendations and suggestions made during the public hearing. /clorenciana

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