PILI, Camarines Sur, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday formally launched the Sutherland Global Services Inc., an international business process outsourcing (BPO) firm, at the Camarines Sur Information Technology Park located in the village of Cadlan here.

Sutherland is currently the biggest company at the IT park, already hiring 400 employees since its soft launch in December 2007.

The Camarines Sur Sutherland center is the third in the country, with the other two facilities located in Makati and at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

Speaking to Arroyo, Dilip R. Vellodi, Sutherland chair and chief executive officer, reported that in less than three years in the country, they have currently employed 6,000 people across the Philippines.

Vellodi also said they hoped to provide 7,000 more jobs in the Philippines — a thousand of which will be in Camarines Sur alone — over the next 12 months.

“Every time you have inaugurated our facilities, you seem to have brought us wonderful luck. We have always exceeded our plans,” he told Arroyo.

The President, who arrived at the Naga airport at about 10 a.m., went around the offices to inspect the facilities and interact with the employees, most of whom were still on their shifts taking calls.

From Pili, Arroyo conducted an aerial inspection over Sipocot municipality in the same province, to check on an irrigation project in the area, said officials from the Philippine Information Agency.

A Malacañang statement, however, said Arroyo also meant to look over an “asphalt overlay and reblocking project” on the portion of the Andaya Highway within the boundary of Sipocot.

The construction is up for bidding this May.

Arroyo then proceeded to remote Lahuy Island to symbolically “switch on” the electrification program in the area.

Her last stop for the day will be in Caramoan Island where she was reported to be spending the night.

On Tuesday, Arroyo is scheduled to distribute around 4,000 food packs in Oas municipality in Albay.

There are also plans for her to discuss the issue of rice supply and food sufficiency with various sectors within the province.

Source: By Jaymee T. Gamil, Philippine Daily Inquirer