In a recent meeting between Batanes governor Telesforo Castillejos and members of the media, the governor said his province wants to attract investments from the growing business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

Castillejos said that call centers can help stop the exodus of the educated people in their province. The governor estimated that 60-70 percent of their graduates leave to look for better opportunities elsewhere. He added that the provincial government will be willing to give task incentives to BPO companies.

There is a growing trend among BPO firms to establish their presence outside outsourcing hubs like Metro Manila and Cebu, where industry concentration has driven up the cost of labor and the rental rates.

In a recent Local Governance Unit summit held in Makati, Commissioner Monchito Ibrahim of the Commission on Information and Communication Technology told that BPO firms should go outside the National Capital Region, where major BPO operations take, because the provinces offer cheaper rental rates and a huge pool of talents.

Castillejos said that their province is already ready because they have reliable Internet connection, good supply of electricity and available talent pool from the two colleges in the province.

The province, however, does not still have the support services needed by the BPO firms and workers like restaurants that are open 24 hours to cater those working in graveyard shift. Similarly, frequent typhoons that batter the province can cause disruption in communication and Internet services. The unpredictable weather can be seen by investors as a big risk to their operations. (abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak)

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