Japanese-language training center for BPO workers eyed in Davao

According to its president, Samuel Matunog, ICT Davao is in discussions with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the establishment of a training center to provide business process outsourcing workers in Davao City with Japanese-language training facilities. The tie-up will develop talent that will make investing in the BPO sector more attractive, said Matunog. The Japanese market is one of the growth markets for the Philippines outsourcing industry, and Matunog hopes to raise the current BPO workforce of 50,000 to 70,000 by 2020 in Davao. Currently, the majority of ICT work in the region is call center-based, but ICT Davao is optimistic that the number of workers will expand into other technology sectors. A delegation headed by the association will be in China next month to visit Chinese outsourcing firms that offer services to Japanese clients.