DOST cites Bacolod as Center of Excellence in IT-BPO

Bacolod City in Negros Occidental late Monday joined the ranks of Philippine cities considered as centers of excellence for information technology and business process outsourcing.

 

The Department of Science and Technology formally gave Bacolod the distinction during ceremonies at the Dusit Hotel in Makati City, Negros news site Visayan Daily Star reported.

 

“This is a great day for Bacolod City! It has cemented our hold as a top information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) destination,” Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said. (http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/May/21/topstory1.htm).

 

The distinction shows the "continuous advancement" of the IT-BPM industry in Bacolod City, the official claimed.

 

Other Centers of Excellence in the Philippines include Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Clark, he noted.

 

As a center of excellence, Bacolod was elevated from the ranks of the “Top 10 Next Wave Cities in the Philippines.”

 

With Leonardia at the Dusit event were Bacolod-Negros Occidental Federation for information and Communications Technology founding president and executive director and councilor-elect Jocelle Sigue, Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. representative Roy Balicas, and city administrator John Orola.

 

Sigue dedicated the distinction to "every call center agent, technical support representative, global services worker, business process manager, IT-BPO professional" and to Bacolod and Negros residents "working to prove that Bacolod, Negros Occidental is truly a Center of Excellence in the Philippine IT-BPM industry today.”

 

Leonardia said, however, the award also "presents a big challenge to direct our focus on our manpower volume and quality.

 

“While we made initial steps toward this direction in our Bacolod City College and in the K+12 basic education in Bacolod City National High School where Bacolod was a pilot city, we now have clearly seen the vast opportunities and potentials that this industry offers and we should grab this rare chance and ride on this momentum,” he added. — VS, GMA News