Wednesday, May 26, 2010 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
By Katlene O. Cacho
ORGANIZERS of the Cebu ICT & BPO Conference 2010 plan to organize a committee that will help build a road map that will make Cebu a major information and communication technology (ICT) and business process outsourcing (BPO) hub.
“Building a roadmap for the ICT and BPO industry of Cebu is one of the objectives that the conference would push for this year.
We have realized that there is a need to expand the participation of the industry stakeholders and create a permanent team so we could come up with a broader-based roadmap and create a stronger foundation for this advocacy,” said Jerry Rapes, chairman of this year’s ICT & BPO Congress, in a press briefing last Tuesday.
Rapes said they will gather the following major industry groups this year: the Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI), the Call Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP), the Game Developers’ Association of the Philippines (GDAP), the Medical Transcription Industry Association of the Philippines, Inc. (MTIAPI) and the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA).
Sustainable
“The industry stakeholders should work together to create a sustainable roadmap especially that Cebu is now considered the second hub for business expansion next to Manila,” he said.
He said it is also time for Cebu to build long-term developments for the industry, especially that it was recognized twice as the top emerging global outsourcing city by Tholons, an independent investment advisory firm.
Take advantage
“We need to take advantage of what Cebu has,” Rapes said, referring to the city’s improved infrastructure, talent pool and business climate.
He said the conference will also serve as venue to share with the community the plans, opportunities and challenges in each specific industry.
The ICT & BPO Congress is one of the major events in the Cebu Business Month this June initiated by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The conference is scheduled on June 22 while the exhibition will run from June 22 to 24 at the Cebu International Convention Center.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 27, 2010.
______________________________________________________________