MANILA, Philippines- Several call centre agents have expressed their fears over the potential effects of President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to end military and economic ties with the United States.
According to a report by ABS-CBN News, 70% of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) investments in the country come from the US. With such pronouncement from the President, many fear that the future of the industry in the country is at risk.
PHOTO CREDIT: PhilStar
The BPO industry targets to bring about $25 billion in revenue in 2016 and employs almost 1.3 million workers.
Benedict Hernandez of Business Process said that aside from the 1.3 million employees, there are also indirect jobs for each direct hire they have. As a result, another 3 million will be affected if American BPO industries pull out from the country.
However, Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella assured employees of the BPO industry that there is nothing to be worried about as the separation of the country from the US is “not severance of relationship of economic ties”.
In a statement, the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) said that they are monitoring the developments and has formally reached out to the Office of the President for a dialogue in order to discuss their concerns and issues concerning Duterte’s statement and the BPO industry.
For Smith Chua, SVP and CIO of BPI, although some BPO industry investors may think twice in putting investments in the country, he sees that the BPO industry will stay in the country for sometime.
“For the meantime we are going to see BPO industry stay with us for sometime,” Chua told ABS-CBN News.
BPO Industry in the Philippines
Considered as one of the most dynamic and fastest growing industries in the country, the Information Technology- Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry plays a vital role in the Philippines’ growth and development.