Former Bacolod Mayor Luzviminda Valdez claimed yesterday that barangay officials could not pinpoint any project implemented by Mayor Evelio Leonardia in their barangays and can identify only the projects of Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella.

Valdez also said she does not believe that the call centers are the project of the Leonardia administration since it just happened that the environment for the coming in of the Information Technology industry has been prepared since the Montelibano administration.

Leonardia, however, said what is clear is that Valdez started with zero and she ended with zero where IT employment is concerned. "Ours is from zero from day one to 1,500-1,700 jobs now," he said.

He said he created the IT Focus team in 2005 and it made inroads in their campaign and produced results.

Leonardia said that, based on information they gathered from call center operators, the bulk of those employed are really from Bacolod. That is why they are giving special attention to call centers and Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue has designed a program to improve the city's preparedness for the call center industry, he said.

"We would like more of our people trained and ready for that but in case the manpower is not sufficient, that is not bad economics at all if people from Cebu, Dumaguete, Iloilo or elsewhere come here to be employed because that will be an addition to our economy," Leonardia said.

He said these employees will pay for boarding houses and be spending their money here, and the city is also asking tourists to come.*CGS

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