The Global Association for Contact Center Best Practices & Networking

MANILA, Philippines, Jan 11, 2012 -- Philippine President Benigno Aquino is optimistic that a proposed measure seeking to ban American companies from setting up call centers abroad will not be passed by the US Congress.

The President said he expects the present US policy allowing business process outsourcing (BPO) will "not change" since such sector is one of the growth drivers of the American economy and host countries like the Philippines.

"We have to take into account that this is an election year and so it may be an election-related statement. But at the end of the day, like any other country, the US would want to make their companies more effective, more competitive, etc. and outsourcing is one of the keys towards that, then I will assume that will continue," the President said in a press conference after the inauguration of EXL Service Philippines Site in the SM Mall of Asia complex, Pasay City.

"Hopefully, it will not change because that is one of our sunrise industries," he added about US companies outsourcing services.

Aquino, however, said that he has no plans to immediately lobby to Washington to reconsider a planned ban on BPOs. He said the proposed ban was first raised in the last US elections but never really gained support.

"From time which was four years ago and now, the situation has not changed. Perhaps, there isn't that much of a danger," he said.

US President Barack Obama recently endorsed the passage of the US Call Center Worker and Protection Act that will restrict US firms from setting up call centers abroad to help generate jobs in the US.

At present, the Philippines is the world’s top destination of BPO centers of many US and European companies due to a large English-speaking population.

The President, meantime, pledged to further improve the country’s investment climate, particularly streamlining business applications, to attract more BPOs in the country.

At the launch of the new call center, Aquino likewise said the government is taking measures to enhance skills training of the Filipino workforce to meet the demands of the labor market.

Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Source: http://www.mb.com.ph

About ContactCenterWorld.com:
Contact Center World. (www.ContactCenterWorld.com), The Global Association for Contact Center Best Practices & Networking