MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo has underscored the importance of the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector of the country, saying that the two industries have the power to boost the Philippine economy ‘to greater heights’.
Speaking before workers from the sector in a forum organized by the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) on Monday, Robredo promised that if she is elected president in the 2022 national elections, she will form a ‘vibrant’ team that would help the industry improve further.
This team, the Vice President said, will be composed of people from the said industries and those from the government.
“Ang expectation ko talaga, we are able to build a vibrant team – government and representatives from your sector… with the expectation that this team will, as I have said earlier, not just untie all the knots, pero be able to plan policies that will boost the industry even more, with the realization na, ‘yung BPO industry talaga will propel our economy to greater heights,” she said during the online talk.
Robredo stressed that it has been proven already that the IT and BPM industry in the country has contributed a lot for the economy, as evidenced by the jobs it had created. According to IBPAP president Jack Madrid, the said sectors have a 1.4 million strong workforce, and is supposedly responsible for creating an additional four million jobs.
“You are also a sector that has always delivered, and it is incumbent upon government to ensure that the policy environment seeks ways to strengthen and empower you so that you can maintain your momentum and solidify your place as the vanguard of our economic recovery,” Robredo said.
The government must support the said sector, Robredo said, not only because it has delivered income for the country, but also because it has been one of the most resilient industries despite the restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Luzon and other areas were placed on a lockdown last March 2020 due to rising infections, the BPO industry adapted by setting work-from-home stations which not only ensured that operations were continuous, but also gave several Filipino families the funds needed during a crisis.
Robredo promised that if she wins in the 2022 national elections, she would rally for laws that would support the IT-BPM industry through institutionalizing more flexible working schemes, and providing upskilling opportunities for workers so that they may be eligible to do more jobs.
“Your industry is powered by very talented, dedicated Filipinos and one of the roles of government is really to provide the necessary systems and infrastructure so that their talents and their dedication is harnessed to the fullest,” Robredo said.
“I have always been very big on empowerment and I think listening to your voices will be a very active ingredient in shaping the laws, policies, regulations that govern your sector. Government will bind its strength with yours to push the nation-building agenda forward,” she added.
This is not the first time that Robredo talked about IT and BPO workers after she announced her intention to run for president: last December 2021, she visited Cebu — an area where the IT-BPM sector is fast growing — to promise that they would try to find a solution to possible problems about voting come election day.
Since a lot of business process outsourcing (BPO) workers are adjusting to the timezones of the area they serve, voting hours in the country — from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. — may happen while they are asleep.
Then just this Wednesday, before visiting Cebu City again, Robredo promised that her administration would promote inclusive growth, which means including all industries in her comprehensive jobs plan.