Bayan backs outsourcing in 'Next Wave Cities'

MANILA, Philippines - Lopez-owned Bayan Telecommunications has committed to support offshoring and outsourcing (O&O) companies exploring business possibilities in the so-called Next Wave Cities, or the emerging growth centers outside Metro Manila.

The top 10 Next Wave Cities in the Philippine identified by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) are Iloilo, Metro Laguna, Metro Cavite, Davao, Bacolod, Pampanga Central, Bulacan Central, Cagayan de Oro, Bulacan South and Lipa.

With the local O&O-information technology industry posting $7 billion in revenues in 2008, the Philippines is seen to grab 10 percent of the global O&O market by 2010. But to achieve this, about one million new employees are needed to join the industry, a challenge that Bayan said it plans to address by helping O&O companies explore business possibilities in Next Wave Cities.

Bayan participated in the Iloilo leg of Convergence 2009, a project of the CICT, which is geared to further grow the information and communications technology as well as the O&O industry.

“Bayan is honored to participate in CICT’s Convergence 2009 as our company has always been fervent in promoting the Philippines as the number one O&O destination in the world,” according to Fred Bernardo, Bayan’s managing director, “Our partnership proves that the government has confidence in us and in the quality of our services in the telco industry.”

“In line with our thrust of bringing out the best in the lives of Filipinos, Bayan hopes to have highlighted the regional capabilities of the country to attract investors and locators for various outsourcing and offshoring services as part of the Philippine cyberservices corridor,” Bernardo added.