Outsourcing exec wants equity between IT-BPM, gig economy
MAKATI CITY, PHILIPPINES — Haidee Enriquez, CEO of outsourcing firm MicroSourcing, is urging the Philippine government to establish a “level the playing field” between the gig economy and the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry.
During an IT-BPM Summit, Enriquez said that freelancers and gig economy workers do not face the same scrutiny on government regulations as the IT-BPM sector.
She added that many people in the countryside are attracted to freelancing because few BPO players are in their area, threatening the industry’s goal of creating more jobs in rural areas.
Enriquez also raised concerns about the taxes that gig economy workers allegedly do not pay to the government.
“At the end of the day, we recognize that the industry needs to be really front and center in making sure that we are addressing this issue. Our hope is that the government will be at pace with us as we embark on that journey,” the CEO noted.
For his part, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Assistant Secretary Paul Añover said that he recognizes the need for social protection of workers.
He suggested the industry to adopt a skills-based approach to recruitment, focusing on reskilling workers with significant experience.
MicroSourcing is a leading and efficient offshoring provider. The firm ranked #152 on the Time Doctor OA500, an index of the world’s top 500 outsourcing companies and a vital tool in assisting the BPO decision-making community.
