Northern Samar positions itself as emerging BPO hub
TACLOBAN CITY, PHILIPPINES — The provincial government of Northern Samar is making strides to position the province as a prime destination for business processing and outsourcing (BPO) investments. This initiative aims to create significant job opportunities for residents.
Jhon Allen Berbon, head of the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (PEDIPO), highlighted the timely nature of this move, citing ongoing improvements in mobile and broadband services.
“Residents and businesses can anticipate reliable and high-speed internet connectivity. We are also in the process of preparing the compliance of Catarman town to the scorecards as a Smart City,” Berbon stated in a phone interview.
A Smart City designation is awarded to cities or towns that have completed the digital roadmap as required by the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) Digital Cities Program. This program is designed to transform various cities across the country into hubs for digital innovation, attracting investments and creating job opportunities.
Strategic partnerships and infrastructure development
Berbon mentioned that Globe Telecom, a telecommunications company, is actively working to establish new cell sites in Northern Samar in collaboration with TowerCos.
“This expansion is part of Globe’s commitment to meeting the data requirements of emerging industries, such as BPO companies that are looking to locate in the province,” he added.
Showcasing Northern Samar’s potential
The Northern Samar PEDIPO recently participated in the Contact Islands 2024 Conference, which was held in Cebu.
The event, which took place from July 24 to 26, gathered over 600 BPO executives, government agencies, and local government units to tackle industry challenges such as cybersecurity, infrastructure, workforce upskilling, taxation uncertainties, AI, and macroeconomic conditions.
“The event will provide the province with a platform to present Northern Samar as a viable location for BPO company expansion,” Berbon noted.
This sentiment was echoed by Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan, who, along with key provincial officials, met with Mitch Locsin, chairperson of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP), to discuss potential opportunities in the province.
