PGMA's Remarks during the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) CEO Session |
Metropolitan Suite, Waldorf Astoria New York City, U.S.A. (21 May 2003) |
| THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AMBASSADOR
ROMULO, MY SENIOR PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS. TRADE AND INDUSTRY SECRETARY MAR ROXAS; ERNIE BOWER, PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.- ASEAN BUSINESS COUNCIL; ALFRED MADRID, PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; RAMON DEL ROSARIO, RP-U.S. BUSINESS COUNCIL; JULIE KELLY CHAN, ASIA SOCIETY; MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: WELCOME TO THIS BPO INITIATIVE. I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE A LONG SPEECH BECAUSE OTHERS WILL. NOT VERY LONG I HOPE. BUT I JUST WANT TO STRESS THAT THE PHILIPPINES IS WELL-POSITIONED FOR THE BUSINESS THAT YOU ARE IN. WE HAVE A COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE IN CUSTOMER CONTACT CENTERS, BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT, ANIMATION, AND DATA TRANSCRIPTION AND CONVERSION. TODAY, IN FACT, THE PHILIPPINES IS ONE OF THE LEADING OUTSOURCING DESTINATIONS FOR CALL CENTER SERVICES. WE HAVE A SPECIFIC CURRICULUM IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE CALL CENTER ACADEMIES AVAILABLE FOR GRADUATES WHO WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR ENGLISH-SPEAKING OR RATHER AMERICAN-SPEAKING SKILLS. WE HAVE A GROWING REPUTATION FOR FILIPINO E-SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR COMPETENCY AND RELIABILITY. THE PHILIPPINES CAN THEREFORE PROVIDE A COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING ADVANTAGES: FIRST, THE QUALITY OF OUR HUMAN RESOURCES; SECOND, WE ARE VERY OPEN. WE ARE VERY OPEN ECONOMY AND OUR CULTURE IS VERY WELL ADAPTED TO WESTERN BUSINESS PRACTICES; AND THIRD, WE HAVE AN ADVANCED AND RELIABLE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE -- MANNY PANGILINAN CAN ATTEST TO THAT -- WHICH CAN SUPPORT END TO END HIGH SPEED TRANSFER BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND THE U.S. OVER FIBER OPTIC CABLES; AND FOURTH, OF COURSE, AND I'M HERE TO SAY THAT, THIS BUSINESS HAS STRONG GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. THEREFORE, I HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WILL HAVE CONCLUDED THAT YOU MUST KEEP THE PHILIPPINES AT THE TOP OF YOUR MIND WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION TO ENGAGE IN BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING. THANK YOU. AND IN ADVANCE, WELCOME TO THE PHILIPPINES. |