One of her 'legacies': GMA lauds Cebu as RP's top IT hub

CEBU, Philippines - President Arroyo toured the Asiatown IT Park late yesterday afternoon showcasing one the flagship projects of her administration as she prepares to hand over the reins of the country to a new president after the May elections.

The area, which is now home to 44 business process outsourcing companies that hired thousands of workers, is part of Arroyo’s cyber corridor project.

The President lauded Cebu City, which she dubbed as the leading Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) center of excellence in the country.

Cebu City was once again named as the top emerging global outsourcing destination in a worldwide survey.

There are more than 70 BPOs operating in Cebu.

 “It (Cebu) is attractive to investors due to high quality of its graduates and because our administration has invested in or promoted the necessary infrastructure support to create a better business environment for Cebu,” said Arroyo in her speech during her Cyber Corridor tour.

 The President said that from only 2,000 workers, the Philippines have created what it is today a global powerhouse — the Philippine BPO industry, which is achieved by promoting investments in three areas.

 First, the digital infrastructure wherein the government encouraged more broadband services in cities and identified growth areas that brought down the cost of international calls from 40 cents to 2 cents a minute through VOiP and the number of Internet users jumped from 2 million in 2000 to more than 24 million to date.

 Second is the area of investments was an appropriate policy and legal environment by creating the Commission on IC, which is guided by the policy that the ICT sector should be guided by the market with minimal government interference.

 Third, is the development of human capital by intensifying the implementation of various programs that trains the workforce and educate the young ones on the use of computers and the Internet.

 “Thanks to these strategic investments, billions in investments were poured into the country by investors creating half a million new jobs in BPO alone,” Arroyo said.

 Arroyo said that today, the Philippines with 90 million people has challenged India’s one billion population for BPO supremacy.

 “Compared to $.02 billion in 2001, our BPO industry earned $7.3 billion in 2009,” the President announced.

 Arroyo added that the 500,000 jobs created in ICT are part of the legacy that she will leave, which is a legacy of hard work, a strong and stable economy, renewed global engagement, major investments in healthcare and education and dramatic improvements in physical and human infrastructure.

“Much work remains to be done, but I am determined to turn over to a new government a new Philippines ready for the challenge of bringing the nation to the verge of first world in 20 years,” the President said.

 Arroyo further said that aside from miles and miles of roads, there is now a 75 percent completed 200-megawatt power plant expected to be finished next year and complemented with a Class A facilities to accommodate BPO-IT locators in Cebu.

The President recalled that her administration is focused like a laser beam on delivering real results to better the lives of ordinary Filipinos.

 “In my first SONA in 2001, I said that we would create wealth by developing the labor-intensive, skills-intensive services such as ICT,” she added.

Prior to her speech at Qualfon Quality Contact Services, one of the IT Park’s locators she toured the park, which showcases one of the legacies of her administration. —/NLQ   (FREEMAN NEWS)