The country’s growing call center industry is moving into Dagupan with at least seven operators already signifying interest to open shop in the city.

City Councilor Alfie Fernandez, chairman of the trade and industry committee of the Sanggunian Panlungsod, said representatives of these call centers have looked at the city and its potential to house operations.

The plans of the interested call centers were disclosed by Fernandez during a committee hearing he called on Wednesday in connection with his resolution seeking to convert the entire third floor of the Malimgas Public Market as location for call centers.

He said the call center owners who inspected the third floor of the Malimgas Public Market agreed that it is an ideal location for their operations and have agreed in principle to undertake the costs for the conversion of the area.

The committee hearing was attended by officers of the city’s Information and Communication Technology Council (ICTC) who all endorsed the proposal and further recommended that other buildings, public or private, in the city must be looked into as possible locations of call centers.

City Planning and Development Officer Romeo Rosario tagged the idle Maresville Building on A.B. Fernandez East as another potential location for a call center.

Councilor Karlos Reyna, chairman of committee on infrastructure and public utilities of the city council, also endorsed the proposal.

A list submitted to Fernandez by Merlie Membrere, ICT Point Person, identified the interested call centers as Alorica Philippines headed by Allan Cacpal, Sutherland headed by Shridhar Aiyer, John Clements Consultants headed by Maria Carolina Dominguez, CBRE headed by Meliza Calleja, The Magellan Alliance headed by Tully Moss, ICT Group headed by John Longford and   Sitel Philippines headed by Carlos de Vera.

Fernandez said that the third floor of the Malimgas Public Market, designed as a parking area, can accommodate up to 400 call center agents per shift or a total of 1,200 call center agents for three shifts.

At least 1,200 call center agents in Dagupan, receiving a salary of P15,000 per month, or a monthly total of  P18 million, can pump-prime the city’s economy. —LM

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