A U.S.-based call center will soon open a new contact center site in Bacolod City and is expected to provide jobs to about 800 Negrenses within its first year of operation.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said Teleperformance will be the first wave of big business prospects that will come to Bacolod, along with the entry of the giant SM City this year. He said SM City intends to open in October, in time for the MassKara Festival.

Leonardia said Teleperformance will put the city in the global IT directory, and, with its entry, hundreds of jobs will be available to Bacoleños. "These developments auger well for our thrust to make Bacolod the new IT Center in Southern Philippines," he said.

David Rizzo, Teleperformance Asia Pacific Operations vice president, said Teleperformance is the world's 2nd largest contact center outsourcing company and it plans to begin construction efforts in Bacolod within the next 30 days. "Within our first year, we anticipate growing 700 to 800 employees, starting with over 300 in the next 120 days," he said.

Rizzo said their company is excited to launch its new operations in Bacolod, which he considers, a city with great technical infrastructure, a well-educated workforce, and a dynamic local economy

. He said the company plans to provide inbound customer care and technical support services for U.S.-based customers. He said training of applicants will be held in Bacolod and they need people who have strong English conversational skills and comprehension, possess minor technical skills and have flexible work schedule, enthusiastic and career-driven.

Leonardia said "Teleperformance, being the first call center in Bacolod, will be a big help in advancing our program of income generation and poverty alleviation.

"With its entry in the city, he said, We can now claim to be in the same league with the other major cities in the Philippines which are now beneficiaries of this new global market trend."

He added that it is inspiring that this came at a time when the administration is on the verge of realizing its flagship projects: the new slaughterhouse, the new bus and jeepney terminals and the new city hall.

Leonardia also acknowledged the hard work of the Bacolod IT Focus Team chaired by Councilor Jocelle Batapa Sigue.

Sigue said Bacolod is the first provincial expansion of Teleperformance and it is heartwarming that the company trusts Bacolod and Negros Occidental to be their site outside of Manila.

Together with the Mayor, Sigue said she is calling on the support of all the schools in Bacolod and Negros Occidental to reinforce and improve their curriculum so that we will be able to supply the manpower of Teleperformance.*CGS

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