“Doon sa security, of course napakahalaga na ilayo natin sa kapahamakan ang ating BPO, call center agents, at gayun din para sa mga karaniwang mamamayan. Nakikilala sila, nai-spot-an sila nitong mga masasama ang loob dahil nga iba ang bihis, at tsaka maganda ang trabaho so talagang iba ‘yung tayo nila…so nagiging biktima sila. So paiigtingin ang police presence dito sa mga dinadaanan ng mga kababayan natin.”

(It’s important to ensure the safety of BPO, call center agents, and every other Filipino. BPO workers are vulnerable because criminals target them because they might dress different and because of their jobs, they exude a different aura, so they fall victim. We’ll make sure to increase police presence along the routes used by the workforce.)

– Mar Roxas on the security issues raised by BPO employees

“Simula noong 2000, ‘yung mga problemang ganito nakikita natin dahil napakarami na nga ng mga call center agents, mga BPO, mga IT…. Their hours don’t match government work hours – PhilHealth, SSS, NBI. Tulog sila, nagpapahinga sila habang bukas ang mga opisina ng gobyerno. Gagamitin natin ang Cebu bilang test kung saan magkakaroon ng caravan ng mga serbisyong ito, dadalhin natin sa IT parks kung saan ‘yung mga call center agents ay makakarehistro.”

(Since 2000, it’s been a problem because most employees in the BPO, IT industries’ work hours don’t match that of the government. They’re asleep, they’re resting while these government offices are open. We’ll use Cebu as a test for this caravan, we’ll bring them to the IT parks so call center agents can register from there.)

– Mar Roxas on bringing government services to BPO employees

“’Yung security of tenure, talagang isang concern ‘yan ng lahat ng mga trabahador, pero itong nature kasi ng call center business, this works by contract. Let’s say isang call center magkakaroon ng contract ng 3 months, 6 months…’yun lang ang trabaho na maibibigay nila. Kung babaguhin natin masyado ang terms of engagement, hindi pupunta dito ang trabaho…. So ‘yun ang binabalanse natin, na kung talagang matagalan naman ang empleyo ng isang tao ay dapat may security of tenure sila. Pero kung kontrata man lang dahil contractual ‘yung binigay ng principal, eh di kailangan na tumugma naman tayo dahil mahalaga na magkatrabaho sila.”

(That’s really a concern by the BPO workers, but you have to understand that call center business operates on contracts. Let’s say a call center gets a contract of 3 months or 6 months, then that’s the only kind of job they can offer. If we change the terms of engagement too much, we run the risk of losing jobs. We’re trying to balance that…. When an employee has been then for a while, it’s only right he or she has security of tenure. But if the principal only offers a short-term contract, we have to match that because what’s important is that they have jobs.)

– Mar Roxas on the tenure issues raised by BPO workers

“Ito ay parating problema dahil nakapag-connect ka ng fiber sa isang area at naging matagumpay nga, lumago ang BPO industry sa isang area, napuno kaagad iyan, so kailangan mag-connect ng panibagong mga lugar dito sa redundant and stable international access na malalaki ‘yung mga tinatawag na pipe, mga terrabyte ang kailangan na dumaloy diyan. Napakahalaga ang tulong na maibibigay ng gobyerno dito…’yung tulong na maibibigay ay right of way, dahil huhukayin nila ‘yan eh, hindi madaling gawin ito, pero gayunpaman kung mag-locate nga tayo dito ng mga IT parks, not necessarily sa sentro pero kahit sa periphery…mas madaling gawin ito.”

(It’s been a perennial problem because once you connect an area and the BPO industry there booms, the network’s capacity is hit right away so you need new connections. You’ll need there pipes that have terrabytes running through them. The important thing the government can contribute is the right of way because you’ll need to excavate. This won’t be easy but one you locate potential IT parks, not necessarily in the center of cities but even in the peripheries, this will be easy.)

– Mar Roxas on infrastructure issues of the BPO industry