MORE business-process outsourcing (BPO) companies are now eyeing to hire repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFW) by the third quarter of the year.
The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (Ibpap) held a virtual meeting with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday to discuss its plans to conduct screening and job matching of potential OFW applicants from August to November.
During the meeting, Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay committed to provide lists of potential applicants to Ibpap using its database of OFW returnees.
In a Viber message, Tutay told the BusinessMirror they already started the “supply demand profiling” to determine the possible vacancies, which can be offered for the repatriated OFWs.
Ibpap Executive Director for Talent Development Frankie Antolin said they decided to target OFWs since they have the “skill sets that are useful in performing jobs in the BPO industry.”
Among the possible jobs to be offered by the Ibpap are in the fields of contact center; animation and game development; global shared services; financial, IT and HR shared services; software and IT outsourcing; and health information management systems.
Earlier this month, DOLE announced that BPO firm Optum Global Solutions has 4,000 vacancies, which it intended to be filled by displaced OFWs.
Ibpap is one of the key employment generators in the country, and its more than 300 members hired over 1.3 million workers.
To provide additional alternative job opportunities for OFWs, the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) also tied up with government agencies and private companies.
NRCO officer in charge director Roel Martin said their partners include Sitel; the Department of Public Works and Highways, and DMCI for “Build, Build, Build” projects; Mega Sardines; and Motolite.
“OFW returnees are referred to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for retooling and upgrading of their skills,” Martin said.
Nearly 60,000 OFWs have been repatriated by the DOLE and the Department of Foreign Affairs amid the ongoing novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
The DOLE noted the number could rise in the coming months since it registered over 300,000 OFWs abroad whose employment was affected by the Covid-19 crisis.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes
2 comments
Hi sir/Mdam i am 1 of the Ofw repatriated Last july 9 . I wish i can help my family . i wish to have an alternative souce of income 😢