The Philippine Information and Communications Technology Office, which is under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ICTO) in the Philiippine government, will spotlight the country’s Information Technology Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) sector in a coming road show to be held in areas dubbed as Next Wave Cities (NWCs). 

NWCs are areas outside Metro Cebu and the National Capital Region that are seen as promising locations for IT-BPO investment and employment.

A statement from the DOST-ICTO said that the coming road show will cover nine locations “Legaspi City, Palayan City, Tagbilaran, Zamboanga, Malolos, Clark Special Economic Zone, Bacolod, Cavite, and Davao” in four months. It aims to promote job opportunities for graduates and the IT-BPO industry, drive up job applications, and correct misconceptions about working in the IT-BPO sector. 

Alejandro Melchor, DOST-ICTO Deputy Executive Director for Industry Development, said in the article posted on the Philippine Information Agency website that there is a “need to spread the benefits of economic growth” to other areas and regions in the Philippines which at the same time eases the “congestion in NCR and in other high-density IT-BPO locations.”

The road show, according to the DOST, also aims to introduce the “Smarter City/Countryside” concept using ICT for economic and social development and to create partnerships with both the public and the private sector to create training and employment opportunities for students and graduates that are qualified or interested in working in the IT- BPO sector.