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BLE: Call centers need over 2,500 agents
The Bureau of Local Employment announced that more than 2,500 job vacancies await call center agents in the country......»»
AI to stay relevant in BPO, group claims
As artificial intelligence is causing global worry over the loss of jobs for humans, executives of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines maintain that AI would bring more benefits than harm, particularly to their industry. CCAP president Mickey Ocampo said artificial intelligence would be more helpful, than detrimental, to the BPO industry. He said the country’s contact center and business process management sector continues to evolve amid the emergence of new technologies, particularly Generative AI, which is quickly being incorporated into various tasks across the information technology and business process management or IT-BPM industry. “The impact of a generative AI will come within the next, maybe, two to four years. This will allow our country to develop using upskilling our people. Generative AI will increase productivity as at a certain level we will be able to handle more calls or more non-voice inquiries. AI will also generate additional jobs,” he said during Daily Tribune’s Straight Talk program last Tuesday. Ocampo said their group is confident the sector could easily keep its position as the world’s top provider of voice and business process outsourcing services and it’s being the “heart of customer experience (CX)” with the adoption of Generative AI, which critics say could either be a boon or a bane to the BPO industry. “Generative AI can be used to automate and enhance various aspects of customer interactions. Some examples are chatbots and virtual assistants. There are automated email responses for faster adaptability. To illustrate, in the past, when an agent needed to respond to a customer’s call, he had to look at the CRM and backtrack or even go to the knowledge base. Now, these things are automated, further enhancing agent productivity,” Ocampo said. CCAP managing director Rosario Cajucom-Bradbury said Generative AI will have an impact on client business, in the way services are delivered and in the corporate services of providers, namely, human resource and finance, among others. She said the use of Generative AI Assist working alongside agents when handling calls will increase their efficiency, productivity, and resolution in delivering customer service. “Thus, the call agent is provided the opportunity to have more focused active listening and genuine empathy rather than being preoccupied with navigating the system for resolution. Filipinos’ innate trait of service orientation combined with the power of Generative AI will enhance the employee’s experience at work which would translate to an even more satisfying customer experience — therefore helping the Philippines retain being the ‘heart of CX’ and at the same time meeting or even exceeding growth targets,” Bradbury explained. Additional 1.1M jobs Ocampo said with the use of Generative AI by CCAP members, they can generate an additional 1.1 million jobs for Filipinos until 2028, covering all types of BPO services, namely, finance, insurance, medical, and health, and overall cost-based customer service for fast moving and consumer goods. “And if we go back to the generative AI, new job roles are created. Generative AI will be useful to the end users and the consumers and the business. We will continue to upskill our workforce to cope with AI,” Ocampo said. The aggressive target is part of the 2028 IT-BPM Roadmap, which was launched in the third quarter of 2022, coinciding with the start of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. It also sets a target of 2.5 million full-time employees (2.3 million to be accounted for by CCAP-member firms) and a 40-percent countryside expansion. In 2022, the contact center sector employed 1.4 million individuals, which was 87 percent of the 1.6 million total employment in the local IT-BPM industry. Ocampo said the impact of Generative AI would be reflected in the sector’s figures in two to four years, clarifying that the emerging technology was not factored in when the IT-BPM Roadmap was set “because it surfaced just about seven months ago although AI had already been widely used across the industry.” These and more interesting issues and developments would take center stage in the upcoming Contact Islands Conference 2023. With the theme “The Philippines, the Heart of CX,” the conference is set to once again facilitate a world-class delegate experience and an excellent venue for the exchange of views, coaching, networking, and benchmarking for the sector’s leaders and decision-makers. The conference is set for 26 to 28 July at the Dusit Thani Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City Cebu. The post AI to stay relevant in BPO, group claims appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
3 more trafficking victims repatriated
The Bureau of Immigration reported the repatriation of three more victims of a trafficking syndicate in Myanmar. In a report given to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the BI Travel Control and Enforcement Unit said that three victims arrived from Myanmar on 15 June on board a Singapore Airlines flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. According to the BI-TCEU, the three left the country in April of this year while passing themselves off as tourists headed for Singapore. However, during the interview, they acknowledged that they had been hired online to work as call center agents in Thailand, only to learn that they had been relocated to Yangon, Myanmar, to work in a phony call center that engaged in scamming. Tansingco said that one of the three victims was an online influencer with more than 10,000 subscribers. The BI chief reiterated his warning to aspiring overseas workers not to agree to work abroad by departing as tourists. He added that leaving as tourists makes them more vulnerable, and the bureau received reports of victims being physically abused by these traffickers. If you wish to work abroad, do so legally through the Department of Migrant Workers. All three victims were turned over and assisted by the NAIA Task Force against Trafficking, together with the National Bureau of Investigation, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Department of Migrant Workers. The post 3 more trafficking victims repatriated appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BI intercepts Laos-bound call center agents
Immigration agents at the Clark International Airport have prevented two women from flying to Thailand to work as seafarers. The two introduced themselves as sea-based overseas Filipino workers recruited to work in Thailand before boarding a Cebu Pacific flight bound for Bangkok on 24 May, the BI Travel Control and Enforcement Unit said in a report to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco. The travel documents they presented to BI officers, however, were found to be spurious. The two eventually confessed that their final destination was Laos, where they were hired to work as call center agents. During interrogation, the women said they were recruited to work in Laos after responding to an advertisement they saw on social media, Tansingco said. The two also admitted that each of them paid P40,000 to their recruiters in exchange for bogus travel documents. According to BI, Filipinos are being trafficked to Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar to work as call center agents, but they end up working for online scamming companies. The post BI intercepts Laos-bound call center agents appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Jobs in medicine, construction and IT in demand – DoLE forecast
The Department of Labor and Employment-Bureau of Local Employment, in its newly published Job and Labor Market Forecast for 2022-2025, projected 164 in-demand jobs across the country,. They are mainly in the field of medicine, construction and engineering, information technology and business process outsourcing, platform-based work, and tourism and services. DoLE-BLE said that the current number of in-demand jobs is much higher than the 95 occupations deemed in-demand in its previous report for 2017-2022, based on collated data from all regional DOLE offices. In Metro Manila alone, many of the listed in-demand occupations revolve around IT and BPO industries, such as customer service representatives, IT specialists, program developers, and virtual assistants, but medical practitioners, nutritionists, and therapists are also considered in-demand in the region. The agency also listed down jobs in IT and platform industries, creatives and even green industries as emerging jobs across the region. Citing online employment platform LinkedIn, these jobs have been seen as growing industries that could create more jobs in the region. “We see the green economy reinforcing its call to address climate change concerns with jobs requiring green skills and companies across sectors adopting environmentally sustainable practices; the digital economy with a growing demand as businesses develop more digital products and services building up their IT network and infrastructure; and the creative industry increasing activities driven by the generation and exploitation of knowledge and information,” the report reads. DoLE-BLE also noted a similar emerging growth in jobs under freelance or gig economy and digital economy, citing the adjustments that were implemented during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and how it improved work systems. Some of these jobs include virtual assistants, social media and digital marketers, IT specialists, software engineers, delivery riders, online sellers and call center agents. “The crisis has upended the traditional 9-5 working world and caused many blue- and white-collar employees to pursue digital and gig work for additional – or even primary – income during these unprecedented times. The gig economy offers job flexibility that is more appealing and becoming more and more necessary to workers,” the report reads. Meanwhile, 20 occupations, ranging from chemical engineering technician, geologist, agriculturist, culinary, medical technologist and even lawyers are classified by DoLE-BLE as ‘hard-to-fill’ occupations, citing lack of qualified hires, access to transportation to its location, work schedule, and that applicants prefer working on these industries abroad. The report also notably highlighted the need to enhance the ‘soft skills’ of the workforce, with some of these soft skills even part of the list of 21st Century Skills under the Philippine Talent Map initiative, as discussed by DoLE Regional Offices. These include teamwork, decision-making, workplace ethics, planning and organizing, multi-tasking and creative problem-solving. Other needed skills include English and Math functional skills, English comprehension, and innovation. “While hard skills demonstrate a candidate’s technical ability to fulfill the job requirements, soft skills demonstrate a candidate’s work ethic and character, including how well of a fit they are for the company’s culture and goals,” DoLE-BLE said. The post Jobs in medicine, construction and IT in demand – DoLE forecast appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Call center agents na biktima ng human trafficking pisikal na inabuso – BI
MANILA, Philippines- Ibinahagi ng Bureau of Immigration (BI) na ang pinakabagong batch ng mga repatriate ay pawang mga biktima ng human trafficking, na nagmula sa Bangkok, ay ginutom at binugbog ng kanilang mga amo. Ayon kay BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, ang pitong biktima na dumating noong Lunes mula sa Bangkok, ay pinagtrabaho sa Mae Sot, […] The post Call center agents na biktima ng human trafficking pisikal na inabuso – BI appeared first on REMATE ONLINE......»»
Pantabangan Dam may hit critical level by end-April
The water level in Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija may reach critical level by the end of April, affecting irrigation supply, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration......»»
Ecija onion farmers get storage facilities
The Department of Agriculture has turned over two onion cold storage facilities to the DA-Central Luzon office in Nueva Ecija......»»
Call center agent injured in attempt to snatch her bag in Brgy. Mabolo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A female call center agent sustained a small abrasion on her wrist after she resisted an attempted to snatch her bag by two men who were on a motorcycle. The incident happened early on Saturday morning as she was walking along S. Cabahug Street in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, Mabolo police.....»»
La Salle, San Beda lead 18-team field in Pinoyliga cagefest
A total of 18 teams will answer the call when Pinoyliga Collegiate Cup unveils its third edition on April 6 at the Alonte Sports Center in Binan, Laguna......»»
Cebu Pacific promises friendlier skies
Inside a war room of sorts within Cebu Pacific’s sprawling Airline Operations Center in Pasay near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, agents, perhaps with bated breath, are glued to giant monitors that show the airline’s social media accounts......»»
Cebu Daily Newscast: Call center agent in Cebu nabbed for threatening to display tarpaulins with naked photos of ex-girlfriend
Listen to Cebu Daily Newscast and get the latest stories in and around Cebu. Here’s what you need to know on Wednesday, November 22. Call center agent in Cebu nabbed for threatening to display tarpaulins with naked photos of ex-girlfriend Authorities in Cebu City arrested a man who works as a call center agent for.....»»
Male call center agent nabbed for threatening ex live-in partner
Male call center agent nabbed for threatening ex live-in partner.....»»
Call center agent, 2 others nabbed in Bohol buy-bust
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Because of reports from concerned citizens, a 23-year-old call center agent, who is accused of being a drug den maintainer, and two others were arrested during a buy-bust operation in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Monday afternoon, November 20, 2023. According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7), the.....»»
Call center agent dies after modern PUJ, crashes into car, falls on its side in Mandaue
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — A 31-year-old call center agent from Compostela died on Tuesday night, November 14, after the modern jeepney she was riding fell on its side along M.C Briones Street, Labogon Road in Barangay Basak, Mandaue City. Initial investigation by the Mandaue City Police Office showed that the modern jeepney from Cebu City.....»»
Cebu Daily Newscast: Call center agent dies after modern PUJ, crashes into car, falls on its side in Mandaue
Listen to Cebu Daily Newscast and get the latest stories in and around Cebu. Here’s what you need to know on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. Call center agent dies after modern PUJ, crashes into car, falls on its side in Mandaue A 31-year-old call center agent from Compostela died on Tuesday night, November.....»»
Still homeless, still suffering: PCIJ spotlights plight of Marawi s displaced
CHEERS TO the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) for two reports that call attention to the lives of Marawi residents who lost their homes in the 2017 conflict. One report discussed the displacement and "loss of identity" of the community and another focused on.....»»
Deceased Maine shooter had mental health problems: police
Police in Maine said Saturday that the man who gunned down 18 people at a bar and a bowling alley and later committed suicide, suffered serious mental health issues, but was able to buy weapons legally because he had never been forcibly committed to treatment. The body of Robert Card, a 40-year-old army reservist, was discovered Friday night inside a tractor-trailer near a recycling center where he used to work, said Maine public safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck. Card had shot himself. Investigators are still struggling to determine Card's motive for carrying out Wednesday's massacre in the town of Lewiston. However, Sauschuck said that Card had reportedly been hearing voices and suffering from paranoia. "Clearly there's a mental health component to this," Sauschuck told reporters. Investigators found a "paper-style" note that Card had left to a loved one which contained a password to his phone and bank account information, Sauschuck said, adding that the note had the tone of a suicide letter. Card was found in possession of three weapons, one of them a long gun, all purchased legally because he had never been forcibly committed to a mental institution. Despite the apparently clear mental health issues and a reportedly recent psychiatric evaluation undergone by Card, "a background check is not going to ping that this individual was prohibited," Sauschuck added. The sigh of relief The discovery of Card's body ended a massive two-day manhunt, which had this quiet city of 38,000 people on lockdown, with businesses and schools closed and residents terrified. Sauschuck acknowledged the help Card's family had provided to the investigation, saying his relatives were among the first people to call the police and identify the suspect. "This family has been incredibly cooperative with us," he said. Lewiston finally breathed a sigh of relief with businesses beginning to open and people appearing on the streets Saturday. Several posters reading "Lewiston strong" were seen in the city. Shukri Abasheikh, 60, was finally able to reopen her halal grocery store after the lockdown. "This morning I'm so happy because the last two days, we were worried a lot and we were scared," Abasheikh told AFP. "My customers were calling me saying we don't have milk, we don't have anything, can you open and I said, 'I'm scared.'" Upon learning that Card was dead, Sheri Withers, 44, owner of a Lewiston art gallery, said she felt "a balance of relief and remembering how to breathe, but also just being sad because, you know, it was a human life." For now, residents are "just trying to rebuild the pieces, and getting on from here is gonna be the next step for our community," she added. A local resident named Danica, who was buying coffee at a drive-through, said she was happy Card was dead, but at the same time wished he had first been brought to justice. "I think he took the coward's way out of doing it by suicide," Danica, who declined to give her last name, told AFP. "I think he should be held accountable for his crimes." In a statement issued shortly after Card's body was discovered Friday night, President Joe Biden vowed to renew efforts to curb gun violence in the United States. "Americans should not have to live like this," Biden said. "I will continue to do everything in my power to end this gun violence epidemic." Biden said the shooting brought "a tragic two days -- not just for Lewiston, Maine, but for our entire country." Authorities on Friday identified the victims, ranging from a husband and wife in their 70s to a 14-year-old boy killed alongside his father. This was one of the deadliest shootings in the United States since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing 60 people Mass shootings are alarmingly common in the United States, a country where there are more guns than people and where attempts to clamp down on their spread are always met with stiff resistance. The United States has recorded over 500 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-governmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed. Efforts to tighten gun controls have for years run up against opposition from Republicans, staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms. The political paralysis endures despite widespread outrage over recurring shootings. The post Deceased Maine shooter had mental health problems: police appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S. mass shooting suspect dead
The suspect in a mass shooting that killed 18 people in the US state of Maine has been found dead, the state’s governor said Friday, ending a two-day manhunt that mobilized hundreds of law enforcement agents and set jittery residents of the northeastern state on edge. Robert Card, a 40-year-old Army reservist, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and his body was discovered at 7:45 p.m., Maine public safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck said. Card’s body was found in Lisbon Falls, southeast of Lewiston near the Androscoggin River, authorities said. US media said his body was found near a recycling center that was Card’s place of employment before he lost his job there. Roads leading to the site were blocked by police Friday evening, an Agence France-Presse journalist saw. Sauschuck said he could not immediately say when Card shot himself. Earlier Friday, law enforcement agents deployed along the Androscoggin River — near where Card’s white SUV was found — and divers using sonar entered the river to look for evidence — or a body. “I’m breathing a sigh of relief tonight knowing that Robert Card is no longer a threat to anyone,” governor Janet Mills told a hastily called news conference. Card is believed to be the perpetrator of a rampage on Wednesday evening that left 18 people dead and 13 others wounded in a bowling alley and a bar-restaurant in this hard-scrabble city. The shooting — and Card’s fugitive status — had brought dread to southern Maine over the past two days. Authorities had described Card as “armed and dangerous.” WITH AFP The post U.S. mass shooting suspect dead appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
More training, education mulled for Filipino soldiers
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Thursday met with Rear Admiral Peter Gumataotao (Ret), Director of the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, to discuss more training and education opportunities for Filipino soldiers. Following the courtesy call of Gumataotao to Brawner at the AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, the two officials exchanged perspectives on present and emerging security issues in the Asia Pacific region. AFP Public Affairs Office chief Lt.Col. Enrico Gil Ileto said both officials also tackled ongoing threats and agreed on positions on how to address these security challenges. “The CSAFP, being an alumnus of the APCSS, also expressed his appreciation of such advanced studies on defense and security strategy in developing military officers,” Ileto said. The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies is an institute of the United States Department of Defense based in Hawaii that provides a comprehensive program of executive education, professional exchanges and outreach events, both in Hawaii and throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The post More training, education mulled for Filipino soldiers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»