ACCAP: Call Center and BPO workers' representative in Congress (Part 2)

We know there will be naysayers when the organization starts becoming more active about its plans for the BPO (business process outsourcing) and call center industry. However, these critics should also consider all the efforts the government has put into making the Philippines a great BPO destination. The government has already invested in free call center trainings and has even tried making the country more “investor-friendly” through various policies to attract more companies and jobs.

So why not push through with making the Philippines the best BPO destination by watching out for one of the country’s major labor forces? Isn’t it true that if you treat your agents well they’ll provide the best service for their companies which in turn will attract more companies to set up shop in the country? The Philippine economy will definitely benefit from this.

What different sectors are saying about the ACCAP party-list group
The Association of Call Center and BPO Agents of the Philippines not only aspires to become the voice of our industry’s workers, but it also aims to formulate ideas to provide the best service relevant to the call center and BPO industry. The BPO sector and the business sector in general seem to recognize and welcome ACCAP’s efforts to represent the BPO industry in Congress.

Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) member and Advanced Contact Solutions BPO Senior Executive Roland Gaerlan welcomes this “development in the BPO industry.” He further states in ACCAP’s site that the industry is definitely the “bright spot in the Philippine economy that needs to be nurtured and allowed to grow further through legislation.” Vic Dela Dingco, Chief Country Head of EFG Bank of Switzerland and Investment Banker from the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, has also expressed his support for the organization, saying that “it is vital to ensure” the BPO and call center industry’s “protection through legislation and appropriate representation.”

A discussion thread over at PinoyExchange, however, shows that some call center and BPO workers don’t quite support ACCAP’s intentions of running in the next elections as a party-list group, citing a variety of reasons. ACCAP member and industry insider, Call Center Blogger, attempted to correct some of the perceived misconceptions about the party-list in a blog post. Apprehensions arise from misconceptions about ACCAP, some of which are 1) that the group is backed by crooked politicians who take advantage of the Party-list system, 2) that a call center party-list will scare off BPO clients and call center companies, and 3) that the pork barrel is the sole driving force behind the ACCAP party-list group.

The truth about ACCAP
The Association of Call Center and BPO Agents of the Philippines was created two years ago by its current secretary-general Kevin Carreon, an agent from ePerformax, along with several of his friends. The group prides itself in the fact that it does not have ties with leftist, politician, and big business backers. ACCAP is an independent group, and its “backers” are fellow pioneers of the industry with years of experience working in the BPO industry. As mentioned in Part 1, the group’s major aim is to improve the overall welfare of call center and BPO agents in the country. However, the group’s efforts will also yield benefits for the companies. Operational costs might also drop, and these companies might decide not to take their business elsewhere. If employees stay longer with their companies through ACCAP’s various endeavors, then the outsourcing companies’ attrition rates will drop.

News about ACCAP
ACCAP is already accredited by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and will thus appear on the ballot for the 2010 national elections.

Conclusion
With around 600,000 call center and BPO workers nationwide, there’s a big chance that the Association of Call Center and BPO Agents of the Philippines (ACCAP) will grab a seat or two in the coming elections. It’s about time that workers in the BPO and call center industry get to be represented in Congress. It’s about time they hear us out and listen to our voices.