Big call center enters Iloilo City

By Jeehan V. Fernandez
 
ILOILO City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas yesterday said another major call center company will invest in the metropolis.

However, he did not reveal the name of the company that has been assessing a prospective location in the city.

“The call center company planning to branch out in the city is as big as TeleTech. This is a go – this is very good news,” Treñas told reporters.

Earlier, Treñas said TeleTech has been working on the establishment of 1,600-seater facility at SM City Iloilo which is set to open soon.

Meanwhile, he added that the new call center is still finalizing the site of their operations as they are going around in the city to fix their location.

Treñas said the company initially planned to settle at Robinson’s Place Iloilo which has been accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) as Information Technology (IT) building where investors can avail of several tax incentives.

The mayor said call centers can also locate at Amigo Terrace Hotel, the first PEZA-accredited “IT park” in the city.

“We have quality graduates here. The location is accessible. There is also an easy coordination with the local government unit (LGU),” Treñas pointed out as to the factors that may encourage call centers to expand in the city.

“Their expansion means we have more graduates who are qualified to do the job. Call center firms will not settle in areas where there’s lack of human resources. The entry of call centers in the city is a testimony of excellent human resources,” Treñas stressed.

“We have registered a hit rate of as high as 17 percent which means more applicants are fluent in English compared with the national hiring average rate of only three percent,” said Treñas.

The mayor said the operations of call centers here, aside from providing jobs to the Ilonggos, have propped up local economic activities.

“The entry of call centers will provide additional jobs which will result to more money in circulation. The restaurants, coffee shops, spas, department stores, and taxis, among others will also benefit from the spending of workers,” the mayor said.

The economists describe the situation as “multiplier effect wherein many services are being benefited,” he explained.

“I am very excited about the employment opportunities that the call centers will bring in,” said Treñas.

The city is host to existing call centers including Callbox, ePLDT Ventus, and Echo.