ICT Davao urges BPOs to improve safety systems

DAVAO CITY — Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies should adopt better safety systems at their facilities to prevent a repeat of the deadly fire at New City Commercial Center (NCCC) mall, where an American firm was holding office, according to the head of ICT Davao, Inc.

“There will be short term effect and people will naturally ask themselves whether working in a BPO will really be safe. I think for as long as the BPOs will be able to show they have adopted better systems and a better appreciation on how to fix their facilities so that the incident will not occur again or they can mitigate or avoid it then I’m sure the workers will still appreciate BPO jobs,” ICT Davao President Samuel Matunog said in an interview.

ICT Davao is the umbrella organization of the information communication technology industry in the Davao region.

Mr. Matunog said at present, there are an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 BPO workers in Davao. He is still hoping to increase the figure to 70,000 within the next three years.

“Malaki naman ang industry natin and we have other facilities and so many developers are building structures not within the malls. We have several facilities built for BPOs following international standards,” he said.

A fire hit NCCC mall last Dec. 23, killing 37 employees of BPO firm Research Now SSI and one mall employee.

Mr. Matunog noted SSI, which has been operating in Davao since 2008, is committed to continuing its operations.

“We expect in the next 60 days… they can resume operations in Davao so their 500 other workers will not lose their jobs. They continue to receive their salary and benefits while the company is relocating to a new and better site,” he said.

Mr. Matunog said ICT Davao and the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines will study the results of the investigation into the fire, and will make recommendations.

He said companies should conduct annual safety drills as required by the Bureau of Fire Protection and in compliance with labor regulations.