Cebu outsourcing facility opened by India’s Wipro

GLOBAL IT SERVICE provider Wipro Technologies has set up shop in the Philippines, opening a business process outsourcing (BPO) center in Cebu.

The Bangalore-based company, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, plans to hire some 900 employees for the 45,000 square-foot facility. Officials said it was also looking at establishing additional centers in other fast-growing Philippine cities.

"The Philippines is one of the largest English-speaking nations and with a talent pool of 29 million. This is one location that we definitely want to expand our presence in," Wipro BPO President T.K. Kurien said in a statement.

The firm did not detail its Cebu investment, nor its Philippine plans. Company officials were not available for comment as of presstime.

Wipro BPO Vice-President Sanjeev Bhatia, in the statement, said the Cebu facility would address the requirements of a global market.

"Our business objective is to enable delivery of multilingual services to our global customer base. With a strong and robust game plan for the year, we are very clear in announcing Wipro’s arrival towards global serviceability, and Philippines is a major milestone in this journey" he added.

In a telephone interview, CB Richard Ellis Philippines director Ryan Isip said the property management firm had been tapped as lease manager.

"Wipro will locate at Cebu IT Plaza. The province was their preference. They are also interested in looking at other provincial sites," he told BusinessWorld.

Cebu, said Mr. Isip, has gone beyond being a premier tourist destination as it is now the second most popular Philippine destination for BPO companies next to Metro Manila.

Wipro’s move to locate in Cebu, said Business Processing Association Philippines executive director Mitchell Locsin, "It shows the Philippines continues to grow and attract global outsourcing companies.

"This is good for the country; they are employing thousands of people. We welcome them." — BW