BPO facility to rise in Lyceum Subic

BPO facility to rise in Lyceum Subic

The new owner of the debt-ridden Lyceum of Subic Bay Inc (LSBI) has committed to put up a business process outsourcing (BPO) facility within the property. This was announced by Subic Bay Metropolitan Area general business and investment department manager Beatrix Anagaran. She said LSBI will be taking over Premium Technical Training and Facilities Inc (PTTFI), which assumed the financial and developmental obligations of the original lessee. Under the new agreement, PTTFI takes over the 34,196-square-meter Lyceum campus at Subic's Cubi-Triboa District. Subic is one of the emerging outsourcing locations in the Philippines. Its proximity to the capital Metro Manila and nearby provinces well populated with college graduates, makes it an ideal location for outsourcing locators.

Teleperformance receives 2016 North American Co of the Year Award

Teleperformance receives 2016 North American Co of the Year Award

For the fourth consecutive year in a row, Teleperformance was recognized as the 2016 North American Company of the Year Award in Contact Center Outsourcing by Frost & Sullivan. Teleperformance was recognized for another record year in 2016 as it demonstrated solid financial performance for the English-speaking market, according to Frost & Sullivan. Teleperformance has grown to more than 217,000 employees across more than 340 contact centers in 74 countries serving 160 markets. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in select areas.

7Core upgrades Cebu water firm's call center services

7Core upgrades Cebu water firm's call center services

Cebu's water utility firm Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) can now focus more on address the complaints of its customers with the upgrading of its call center. Local ICT solutions provider 7Core Communications Inc successfully upgraded the call center of MCWD, using interactive voice response for every calls made in the firm's trunk line. The system channels out certain calls and forwards them to automated responses. These include calls for scheduled interruptions, applications for connections, and questions about payments. MCWD information and communication technology division head Rommel Cyril Yu said the system installed by 7Core Communications allows MCWD call center staff to focus on more important concerns of consumers.

Declining BPO growth could hit GDP forecast

Declining BPO growth could hit GDP forecast

Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse trimmed its GDP growth forecast for the Philippines due to the declining growth of the country's business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. The decelerating BPO revenue growth could deduct 0.3 percentage point from the GDP in 2018. Credit Suisse economist Michael Wan slashed the country's GDP growth forecast to 5.9% from the original target of 6.2% next year. The BPO sector's slowdown could also affect Credit Suisse's 6.1% GDP growth forecast for this year. The bank added that the BPO industry of the Philippines is facing a combination of cyclical and structural headwinds. Credit Suisse said full-time employment in the industry could grow a mere 3.7% due to automation between this year and 2024 from 12.4% CAGR over the past five years.

Philippines seeks increased ties with Russia

Philippines seeks increased ties with Russia

Trade and Industry secretary Ramon Lopez said the Philippines is ready to boost its trade and investment ties with Russia as part of efforts to pursue non-traditional trading partners. While the Philippine government is ready to supply Russia with high-quality export products, including food, garments, semiconductors, among many others, Lopez said Russian investors can also consider opportunities in information technology-business process management, tourism, and retail trade in the Philippines. Lopez made the announcement following a successful Philippine trade and investment scoping mission to Vladivostok. Russia is the country's 33rd trading partner, with bilateral trade value of USD226.25m last year.

Cebu City to shut down two BPO buildings

Cebu City to shut down two BPO buildings
Cebu City Mayor Osmeña has announced plans to shut down two buildings occupied by business process outsourcing (BPO) companies at the Cebu IT Park. The owners of the buildings reportedly have violated the building code for using their parking spaces to house call center offices. The mayor's action followed complaints from call center agents that they do not have enough parking spaces at the IT park and that existing parking spaces charge high parking fees. Osmeña said he is not going after call centers but building owners that violate the city's rules and regulations.

Outsourcing services among opportunities offered to Czech investors

Outsourcing services among opportunities offered to Czech investors

The Czech Republic seeks to expand its trade relationship with the Philippines especially now that many Czech companies are doing business in the country, said Philippine Honorary Consul to Prague Bretislav Skacel. Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said among the opportunities for investment that Czechs can explore in the Philippines are information technology - business process management, knowledge process outsourcing, energy, design-driven products, aerospace and a lot more. Skacel revealed that Czech companies have helped established a call center for German air carrier Lufthansa in the Philippines. Aside from business links, Skacel said the Philippines and Prague also share a Roman Catholic heritage.

Proposed IT park in Batangas could generate 23,800 BPO jobs

Proposed IT park in Batangas could generate 23,800 BPO jobs 

CebuA proposed IT park in Batangas City is expected to generate 23,800 direct business process outsourcing (BPO) jobs and up to 76,000 indirect jobs. The IT park is the brainchild of Pontefino Estates, the group behind Pontefino Hotel and Residences. The 4.2-hectare Pontefino Technology Park will be part of a development that includes commercial and residential areas and a convention center. The IT park will have a total gross floor area of 55,000 square meters, with more than half of the space likely to be offered to BPO companies, said Fely T. Ramos, SVP and chief operating officer of Pontefino Estates. Ramos said they will seek an accreditation from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) for the IT park.

Sykes Asia opens second site in Cebu City

Sykes Asia opens second site in Cebu City

Sykes Asia recently inaugurated its second site in Cebu City and its seventh in the country - Sykes Robinsons Galleria Cebu (RGC). The center sits on a 4,757-square meter facility and follows the employee-centric design that has become the signature of all Sykes sites in the Philippines. The new Sykes site also features a spacious Recruitment Hub equipped with various amenities—including free snacks and coffee—to ensure a convenient and comfortable recruitment experience. Sykes came to Cebu City in 2003, becoming the first call center in the city. Sykes senior director for human resources for Asia Pacific, Doodoo Marcos, said the company continues to grow the business in Cebu because of the tremendous amount of talent in the city.