Cebu City to probe BPO housing agents

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak has requested the City Legal Office (CLO) to investigate the report showing that workers of a business process outsourcing (BPO) company operating in the city has endured poor living conditions.

This, after the Financial Times (FT), an international news organization, published a story last Thursday reporting that there are call center agents in the city who had been suffering from ‘subhuman conditions’ inside their offices.

“Kining nadawat nato nga report, this is inhuman. This is a risk. Dili lamang sa ilahang mga empleyado kun dili sa whole Cebu City. Can you imagine naa ra sila dinha ug ang ilahang pamilya? Risgo sad kaayo og unsay mahitabo,” said Tumulak.

“Dili ta mosugot ana sa city government nga pasagdaan kana sila kay risgo kaayo na,” he added.

The report referred to the customer support service staff of Amazon’s Ring subsidiary, which is managed by a BPO operating in the city.

As reported, video footage and stills, taken on a weekend and provided to the Financial Times, appear to show several employees sleeping on the floor at a facility in the city. One employee appears to have set up a bed on a treadmill.

The city is under a state of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) since March 28 to April 28 or unless withdrawn by the mayor.

Due to this, a stay at home order is strictly being implemented.

Cebu IT-BPM (Business Process Management) Organization (CIB.O) Managing Director Jun Saa, for his part, said they are very concerned on the issue, but they would also like to give the company the chance to tell its side of the story.

“We’re waiting for the side of that BPO. They said they will come out soon,” said Saa.

He added that they knew about the issue last Thursday and have done their initial investigation.

The BPO company has reportedly admitted that the pictures were taken from its site.

Saa said the company is looking into the matter and “will do something about this.”

“We’re not happy with this. We’re not proud of this thing that happened in Cebu, but we’re definitely working on it,” Saa added.  GAN (FREEMAN)