Cablegate: Ambassador and President Arroyo Inaugurate U.S. Call

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ECPS ETRD EINV RP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR AND PRESIDENT ARROYO INAUGURATE U.S. CALL
CENTER IN MANILA

1. Summary: The Ambassador joined President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
in cutting the ribbon for a new U.S. call center. Call centers
infused $1.12 billion into the Philippine economy, and the
Philippines has captured 20% of the world call center market.
Industry projections foresee dramatic growth over the next five
years. End Summary.

2. Pennsylvania-based ICT Group opened its third call center in
Manila on September 22, 2006. President Arroyo, the Ambassador, and
ICT Group CEO John Brennan, along with numerous dignitaries,
celebrated the inauguration of this 1600-employee call center, which
nearly doubles the number of ICT Group's employees in the
Philippines. Brennan commented that the ICT Group intends to open
two more call centers and increase staffing to 7,000 by the end of
2007. He called the performance of the Filipino workers "of the
highest quality." The Ambassador and President Arroyo witnessed
this quality first-hand during a tour of the facility.

3. President Arroyo strongly supports the rapidly expanding call
center industry that employed 112,000 people in 2005, infusing $1.12
billion into the Philippine economy. Growth projections are
especially impressive. In 2000, Philippine call centers employed
2400 people and contributed $24 million to the economy. By 2010
industry forecasters believe there could be more than a million
Filipinos employed in call centers, bringing in projected revenues
of over $12 billion. The Philippines currently controls 20% of the
world's call-center market, according to the Asian Call Center
Review.

Kenney

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