CIB.O to chart IT-BPM industry growth in Visayas in the new normal

CEBU CITY – Cebu’s IT-Business Process Management organization CIB-O and other industry players held its first virtual town hall meeting Thursday, October 29 and discuss issues, concerns and trends to help the industry adapt and thrive under the new normal as well as tackle new trends in the BPM and digital education sectors under the theme, “Gearing Up Towards New Normal and Beyond.”

According to CIB.O chair Francis Monera that the virtual town meeting resulted in the mobilization and formation of the Strat 8 Super Committees that were tasked to manage challenges and take advantage of opportunities brought to light by COVID-19. 

 Monera went on that to help chart the growth of the IT-BPM industry in Cebu and in the Visayas, CIB.O must come up with programs that will ensure there are enough quality graduates from universities and promoting Cebu as a global IT-BPM hub.

The CIB.O virtual town meeting lined up main speakers that included Leechiu Property Consultants, Inc. CEO David Leechiu and Xepto Digital Education Founder Dr. Paco Sandejas; Cebu Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Bryan Lim who shared new normal health tips for industry stakeholders.

Other speakers included Sykes Synergis Senior Director for District Operations Joseph Anthony Reyes, who talked about company learnings during six months of operations under pandemic quarantine measures; and Wipro Philippines, Inc. Country Head Aseem Roy on attracting foreign direct investments.

TELCO updates on the other hand were provided by PLDT Alpha Customer Relationship Management Group Head Victor Aliwalas for PLDT Enterprise, and VP for Product Development and Engineering Francisco Claravall for Globe Business.

The Strat 8 Super Committees also presented strategies and other innovations to further develop the industry under new normal conditions.  They introduced their thrusts and objectives and they tackled on such vital concerns as talent pool, IT-BPM developments, academe-industry linkages, marketing and promotion, fiscal sustainability, core advocacies, and CIB.O membership.

The liaison directors of CIB.O also presented their programs and agenda in one-minute spiels. These include CIB.O President Gregg Victor Gavison of USJR to champion Talent Development; Pert Cabataña of Auksilyo Professionals.for Innovation and Ecosystem Development; Jigger Escario of CIT-U for Linkages; Kris Villaba of Sykes Asia for Value-Added Services; Rey Beluso of Tech Mahindar for Marketing and Advocacies; Kim Aranas of P&A Grant Thornton for Finance; and Aseem Roy of WIPRO for International Relations committee.

CIB.O evolved from Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology (CEDFIT), the first ICT Council in the Philippines after its transformation into a full IT-BPM industry organization in 2017. (Photos: CIB-O/Robby Alugar)