Government wants provincial BPOs to provide 40% of total BPO jobs
The Department of Science and Technology – Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO) wants to see about 40% of the total targeted employment in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry to come from provincial areas. DOST-ICTO deputy executive director Monchito Ibrahim said the department wants to see 525,000 jobs in direct BPO employment outside Metro Manila, in cities like Cebu. Manila currently accounts for more than 50% of BPO employment. During a forum organized by the Cebu Business Club, Ibrahim said at least 30-40% of jobs generated by the industry should come from BPO centers outside Manila. The industry is expected to grow its workforce to 1.3 million. In 2015, the industry’s total direct employment stood at 1.2 million, with just 120,000 generated by BPOs in Cebu.
