‘CyberCenter meant to jumpstart IT BPO sector’

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante said the Negros First Cyber Center’s (NFCC) purpose was to jumpstart the Information technology-business processes outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry in Negros Occidental.

“It was built to create jobs, opportunities for Negrenses,” according to Escalante, a former member of the provincial board where he chaired the committee on finance.

Escalante said he has explained to Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz the status of the NFCC after Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson questioned that its income was not enough to pay the loan for its construction.

Escalante also said the NFCC was not expected to immediately earn big revenues.

Under the joint venture agreement with the private group running the NFCC, the provincial government is to be paid a guaranteed amount annually that will go up every year which, in time, will pay for the loan.

Escalante said what is important is that the NFCC has created jobs through the BPOs.

He also said that the group managing the NFCC headed by former Secretary of Budget and Management Salvador Enriquez proposed to develop the remaining 40 percent of the property.

The group has partner-investors who are planning to build a mall and a hotel in the area.

“It is just a matter of time,” Escalante said.