Poaching of call-center workers worries Davao

Jun. 22, 2007

The Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry will come up with an agreement for the equitable distribution of workers among BPO companies. It said it does not want what is happening in Makati and in other areas in Manila — where cases of poaching are reported because of shortage of workers — to happen in Davao. Transaction is done during break-time by the recruiting officer and call center workers just outside their offices, by offering them higher salaries, one official said.

DAVAO CITY — As major business process outsourcing (BPO) companies are already considering Davao City as their next location, with two more big ones conducting assessment of the area, key industry players here are working on measures that will protect the industry.

Andre Joseph T. Fournier, board of trustee of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) and chairman of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Management Information System (MIS) committees, said they are coming up with agreements for the companies to work together for an equitable distribution of people.

Fournier said they do not want what is happening in Makati and in other areas in Manila to happen in Davao where cases of poaching are reported because of shortage of workers .

Transaction is done during breaktime by the recruiting officer and call center workers just outside their offices, by offering them higher salaries, he said.

He said these are the things that they would not want to happen even as he said that those companies already operating here are quite apprehensive once these big players come in with the huge manpower requirement that they would need.

He said there must be regular consultation and these companies must tell us their specific requirements so their need could be properly matched with institutions like schools.

Fournier said once they are here they should also take care of their employees, provide trainings as well as other benefits.

Fournier also said that these BPOs will also be given briefing on how to operate in Davao because of several ordinances that would protect workers.

It is just a matter doing a regular consultation with the industry, he said.

Meanwhile Fournier said 2007 will be Davao Citys year for ICT and they are committed to make it happen this year.

He said the industry is doing well and many good things are already working and one of this is the holding of the business plan competition in Davao that is the first outside Metro Manila.

Initiated by the Philippine Emerging Startups Open (PESO) Fournier said there would be about 60 entries and this is an opportunity for business plans to be presented to the business community.

It is quite difficult for a beginner, like the students, to do a presentation with presidents and chief executive officers of companies all by themselves and this event is an opportunity, he said.
He said there are a lot of good ideas in the region that are not given exposure. (PIA XI/prixdbanzon)

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