| The Call centers industry in the Philippines is stable | | | | Many factors should be prioritized if the government is |
| according to the State of the Nation Address (Sona) | | | | serious in keeping this industry. First, is to focus on |
| of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last July 2007. | | | | education. Knowledge is the greatest creator of |
| Mrs. Arroyo, clad in a red terno expressed the | | | | wealth. Without knowledge we cannot move on and |
| significant on how call center industry is helping the | | | | do the things we want. With this development, the |
| country in terms of providing jobs to the Filipino people | | | | President said that the nation is investing more for |
| especially to the fresh graduates. | | | | education: PhP150 billion, PhP29 billion more than last |
| This industry is distinct from information technology (IT) | | | | year. In 2006, the government and private sector built |
| outsourcing, which focuses on hiring a third-party | | | | 15,000 classrooms instead of the usual 6,000. Since call |
| company or service provider to do IT-related activities, | | | | center industry wants their employees to be computer |
| such as application management and application | | | | literate. The government reported that one third of the |
| development, data center operations, or testing and | | | | public high schools now have Internet access, with |
| quality assurance. | | | | private sector support. |
| Mrs. Arroyo is taking cognizance of the importance of | | | | The President quoted in her speech: "We have a |
| call center industry because of the ability of the Filipinos | | | | scarcity of public high schools but a surplus of private |
| to speak fluently in English. She even said in her | | | | high schools. So instead of building more high schools, |
| speech: "The Philippines ranks among top off-shoring | | | | we give more high school scholarships - 600,000 |
| hubs in the world because of cost competitiveness | | | | scholars this year." |
| and more importantly our highly trainable, English | | | | Aside from education, terrorism should be the top |
| proficient, IT-enabled management and manpower" | | | | priority because it will scare the investors on putting |
| It only shows that call center industry in the Philippines | | | | their businesses in the country. The President herself is |
| has been called the "New India" as the country offers | | | | aware of the presence of the terrorists, which |
| an abundance of inexpensive, English speaking labor. | | | | threatens the sovereign, democratic, compassionate |
| This was according to the 2003 Philippines Call Centre | | | | and decent way of life. "Therefore, in the fight against |
| Industry Benchmark Study conducted by call centres | | | | lawless violence, we must uphold these values. It is |
| net. Our country is very viable alternative to other | | | | never right and always wrong to fight terror with |
| locations in the Asia Pacific and hence many local and | | | | terro." |
| multinational organizations have set up contact centers. | | | | I welcome the development that Human Security Act, |
| This trend is set to continue as numerous companies | | | | a new anti-terror law that took effect last July 15, |
| progressively seek an Asian presence to service | | | | underscored the resolve to deal with terrorism and |
| customers both regionally and globally. | | | | contribute to regional security. Due to the continuous |
| "Information technology will help the Bureau of Internal | | | | conflict between the Armed Forces of the Philippines |
| Revenue (BIR) bring in more taxes in the coming | | | | and the More Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in |
| months," she stressed. | | | | Mindanao, it is a good thing that she asked the |
| It means to say that more investments are likely to | | | | Congress to enact laws to transform state response |
| happen in the following years because of the | | | | to political violence: First, laws to protect witnesses |
| presence of this industry. The country has | | | | from lawbreakers and law enforcers. Second, laws to |
| approximately 200 call centers and 20,000 seats. It is | | | | guarantee swift justice from more empowered special |
| estimated that 80% of these seats are operated by | | | | courts. Third, laws to impose harsher penalties for |
| call center outsourcing bureaus. | | | | political killings. Fourth, laws reserving the harshest |
| She further said: "While our strength in contact centers | | | | penalties for the rogue elements in the uniformed |
| is well-established, we are now focused on growing | | | | services who betray public trust and bring shame to |
| the higher value-added services, including accounting, | | | | the greater number of their colleagues who are |
| legal, human resources and administrative services." | | | | patriotic. |
| She stressed: "The business services sector has | | | | "It is my ardent wish that most of the vision I have |
| become the fastest growing in the economy providing | | | | outlined will be fully achieved when I step down. It is my |
| 400,000 jobs compared to 8,000 in 2000. By 2010 the | | | | unshakeable resolve that the fundamentals of this |
| forecast is one million jobs earning $12 billion, the same | | | | vision will by then be permanently rooted, its progress |
| amount remitted by our overseas Filipinos today." | | | | well advanced and its direction firmly fixed with our |
| If the government will unite and continue to promote | | | | reforms already bearing fruit. All that will remain for my |
| the country as an investor-friendly in Asia many | | | | successor is to gather the harvest. He or she will have |
| foreign multinational firms will choose Philippines to put | | | | an easier time of it than I did." |
| up their contact centers here. The political bickering will | | | | No matter what happen, the Philippine call centers will |
| not help the country in stabilizing the economy. If | | | | continue to be part of Mrs. Arroyo's strong republic |
| political noise continue to exist especially most of the | | | | campaign. The Sona lasted 56 minutes to deliver and |
| newly elect senators and solons are from the | | | | was interrupted by 102 rounds of applause, including |
| opposition parties. Let's hope and pray that the last | | | | the standing ovation at the end. |
| election should serve as lesson to the entire nation. | | | | |