SOFTWARE outsourcing provider FPT Software from Vietnam targets to hire up to 2,000 workers in Cebu in the next five years.
FPT launched its first overseas development site in Cebu last week.
Tran Duy Vinh, FPT Software Philippines managing director, said they hope to increase the number of employees on board to at least 200 from the current 62 by the end of the year.
“In five years time, we hope to increase that number to 2000,” he said.
Hoang Nam Tien, chairman of FPT Software Philippines Corp., said the company chose to set up an overseas site in Cebu because of its people.
“People in Cebu speak English very well, have very good technical skills and good, service-oriented attitude,” he said.
All current employees are software engineers. Vinh said they hope to branch out to other business process outsourcing (BPO) businesses and employ other workers.
Exequiel Sarcauga, officer-in-charge of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Central Visayas, said FPT will help address unemployment in the region.
He said about 220,000 people are unemployed in Central Visayas.
“With FPT’s goal to expand their number of employees to as many as 2000 in the next five years, this will mean a lot to the Philippine government and especially to Region 7,” he said.
Sarcauga noted that the business process management sector employs around 100,000 and generates revenues of as much as P15 billion a month.