Robinsons Land Corporation Official Website

By JAMES A. LOYOLA

Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), one of the country’s largest real estate companies, will be making available spaces that are designed for business process outsourcing firms in its shopping mall developments in Manila, Paranaque, Cebu and Davao.

Each location will have facilities of as much as 6,000 to 10,000 square meters for BPOs and call centers which will be appended to the mall area.

RLC is already one of the largest landlord of BPOs and call centers in the Philippines through its various commercial centers.

"We are able to provide the facilities call centers want in five of our shopping centers—Robinsons Place Novaliches in Quezon City, Robinsons Place Cainta, Robinsons Metro Bacolod, Robinsons Place Pioneer and soon in Robinsons Place Lipa in Batangas," said RLC commercial centers division general manager Cornelio Mapa, Jr.

Mapa added that the presence of these call centers and BPOs complements the synergy that Robinsons shopping malls provide.

"Our shopping malls provide recreational value to call center employees who look forward to having some respite after a day at work. Our locations are strategic since we are also very accessible to public transport, making it more easy for these employees to go to their work place and go home even during late hours," said Mapa.

"We notice that call center employees look to the mall as a haven after a long shift. They now have a chance to catch a movie or grab a bite to eat in food establishments found in these malls", he added.

Mapa also noted that BPO companies find ease in recruitment of employees because of the advantages a mall provides.

Of late, large BPOs and call center operators have been on expansion modes; spreading their operations to key provinces.

"RLC has likewise taken its cue from their expansion plans and are ready to accommodate new players in our shopping malls, whether here in Metro Manila or in the provinces," Mapa said adding that interested parties may contact their mall leasing executives.

RLC is operating 18 shopping malls in the country today. Six are strategically located in Metro Manila while the rest are in Northern and Southern Luzon, as well as in West and Central Visayas and in Mindanao.

In recent reports, the Philippines has been found to be one of the leading sites for BPOs, since it is one of the largest English speaking nations in the world.

It also has over 300 software development companies, the biggest segment in the Philippines e-service industry in terms of players.

According to US-based industry experts, the Philippines is in a position to capture over 10 percent market share of the global ITES and BPO outsourcing pie within the next two to three years.

BPO sectors such as shared financial services, transcription and data processing services are emerging markets for the Philippines.

However, the explosive and sustained growth of the contact center industry in the Philippines is expected to overshadow the other sectors.

According to the BPO Association of the Philippines, the work force is expected to grow from 245,000 to 900,000 by 2010 and revenues from $ 3 billion to $ 12 billion.(JAL)