CATARMAN, Northern Samar– An investment pitch aimed at improving connectivity in the Province of Northern Samar has evolved into discussions about positioning the province as a potential hub for the IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector.
Governor Edwin C. Ongchuan has spearheaded this initiative during an investment dialogue held at Rufino Pacific Towers, Makati City.
This endeavor came with the introduction of Mr. Albert Mitchell Locsin, the First Vice and Enterprise Revenue Group Head of PLDT Enterprise, with the idea of Northern Samar joining the Contact Islands Conference 2024 hosted by the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) in Cebu City.
This will provide the province with a platform to present Northern Samar as a viable location for the BPO company expansion. Accompanying Mr. Locsin were officials of PLDT Enterprise including: Mr. Javier C. Lagdameo, the Vice President and Head; and Mr. Alvin I. Martinez, their Head of Enterprise Presales.
It can be noted that during the recently held Ibabao Business Conference on June 14, 2024, LBS Digital Infrastructure Inc. expressed their interest in installing a series of network towers in Northern Samar.
As part of this initiative, preliminary discussions with mobile networks have been conducted to lease these forthcoming towers. In response, PLDT-SMART has shown keen interest in enhancing their digital infrastructure within the province.
During the investment pitch initiative, Governor Edwin, supported by the Board of Investments through Dir. Ernesto Delos Reyes, Director for Investment Assistance Services, and as Mr. Jhon Allen Berbon from the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (PEDIPO), and EnP. Jay Keenson Acebuche from the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) presented Northern Samar’s strategic advantages.
These include its skilled workforce, favorable business environment, and expanding infrastructure. These factors underscore Northern Samar’s potential to effectively host BPO operations, promising significant returns on investment for interested stakeholders.
Following the meeting with PLDT-SMART, the provincial government met with Dir. Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin, Director of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Industry Development Bureau, to further refine the Northern Samar investment pitch for presentation at the Contact Center Conference 2024.
Dir. Versoza-Delfin oriented the Northern Samar team with the requirements in transforming Catarman into solid Digital City that adds into the ranks of the current 25 Digital Cities in the country.
Digital City is a brand given to a city or town that undergone and have completed their digital roadmap as required by the Digital Cities Program of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
This program aims to transform various cities across the country into thriving hubs for digital innovation, attracting investments and creating job opportunities for Filipinos.
The collaboration between the provincial government, DICT and industry leaders highlighted a concerted effort to capitalize on the province’s untapped potential, further advancing its goal of becoming a resilient and progressive province for all Nortehanons.(PR)
