22 September 2005 – Consul General Cecilia B. Rebong of the Philippine Consulate General in New York, USA, reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Consulate successfully hosted a business forum sponsored by John Clements Consultants, Inc. showing Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in New York the many professional prospects now available in the Philippines.

Consul General Rebong said that over forty professionals and executives from different sectors and industries attended the event that John Clements President and Chief Executive Officer Carol Dominguez opened by talking about the phenomenal growth of the business process outsourcing and call center industries in the Philippines.

Ms. Dominguez went on to say that these two industries have created more available jobs than any other sector in the last five years, and have become the Philippines’ “top value proposition” towards capturing a bigger share of the billion-dollar offshore outsourcing business.

Consul General Rebong added that aside from Ms. Dominguez, the forum featured speakers such as Mr. Tully Moss, President of the Magellan Alliance, and Ms. Arlene Tolentino, an Assistant Vice-President of the HSBC-HDPP, the electronic data processing subsidiary of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).

Mr. Moss remarked that the Philippines is a world leader in offshore outsourcing because it “has the second-largest market share after India; the Filipino has the personality for customer-care work; the Philippines has a very good telecommunications infrastructure; has low-cost labor; and Filipinos have a reputation for having a good work ethic.”

He added that because of these advantages, the Philippines is attracting global “Fortune 50” companies such as Citibank, AIG, Dell, JPMorgan Chase and Shell, resulting in many employment opportunities for people with strong managerial and leadership skills.

Mr. Moss and the Magellan Alliance help North American companies with their offshore outsourcing decisions.

Consul General Rebong mentioned that when Mr. Moss asked the participants if they had any family in the Philippines, all of them answered in the affirmative.  When they were asked what would be a good reason for them to return, most answered that they would come back for retirement.  Some, however, agreed that starting a new professional life back in the Philippines would be rewarding in itself, but the ideal compensation package would “sweeten the deal” all the more.

Consul General Rebong said that when Ms. Tolentino began her talk and mentioned the dozens of management positions available at HSBC-HDPP in the Philippines, the possibility of a homecoming became more of an opportunity to take.

Ms. Tolentino said that she spoke from experience, having spent two years as an expatriate in London with another firm but returning to the Philippines and joining HSBC to help manage the 1,400 employees of its captive business process outsourcing (BPO) and call center in Alabang.  She added that the number of employees alone and the fact that the Alabang facility is one of HSBC’s global service centers worldwide is a testament to the rapid growth and viability of offshore-outsourced business in the Philippines.

Ms. Dominguez then said that a lot of work remains to be done.  “We need to do some more educating in terms of showing that the Philippines holds a lot of prospects for executives, managers, and professionals,” she said.

“Many opportunities await Filipinos back home; all that’s needed is to inform them of the bright future that could be theirs, and see if they are willing to take the chance,” Ms. Dominguez added.

Consul General Rebong further reported that people who are interested in exploring career opportunities in the BPO industry in the Philippines may send their résumé to cvdominguez@clements.com.  END