“METRO LAGUNA” is being tapped and promoted by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) and aligned agencies to be the next business hub where IT and business process outsourcing companies (BPOs) can thrive.
In the recently held “CICT Cyber Corridor Roadshow” in Santa Rosa, Laguna, CICT Commissioner Monchito Ibrahim said Metro Laguna already has the infrastructure and human resources to fill the needs of BPOs intending to relocate.
Metro Laguna covers the combined cities and municipalities of Santa Rosa, Calamba, Los Baños, Cabuyao and San Pablo City, areas in the South experiencing a current boom in real estate development.
Among these locations, Santa Rosa is being positioned as the center where the BPOs and IT companies can run and operate offices, while neighboring cities can supply the skilled workers.
Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas-Nazareno said the city has three major IT parks that can house BPOs looking for a new place to expand or relocate.
Big contact centers Convergys, Teletech and KGB have already established offices in Santa Rosa.
According to Arcillas, Santa Rosa has been the fastest-growing city in terms of real estate development, business growth and population.
“Santa Rosa is very ideal in terms of relocating businesses. We have peace and order. The development here is balanced and organized as well. Residential development sits side by side with commercial development,” she said.
Tony del Carmen of LinkIT, a nongovernment organization tasked with manpower development program for BPOs, said Metro Laguna was second to Metro Manila in the number of colleges and universities.
He said Metro Laguna was fast becoming a university belt as there were already 87 colleges and universities here as well as 108 Tesda schools, which can supply the manpower for the BPOs.
Metro Laguna recently topped the “Next Wave Cities” scorecard ranking done by the CICT, the Business Processing Association of the Philippines and the Department of Trade and Industry.
As the top “Next Wave City,” Ibrahim said Metro Laguna could replicate the growth and development of Metro Manila.
