President Gloria M. Arroyo said one of her legacies to the Filipino people is the creation of some 500,000 Information Communication Technology (ICT) jobs under the Cyber Corridor-Super Regions project.

"The 500,000 jobs created in ICT are part of the legacy I will leave, a legacy of hard work, a strong and stable economy, renewed global engagement, major investments in healthcare and education."

During her visit here today hosted by one of Bacolod’s leading call center Teleper-formance, President Arroyo outlined the moves that made the Business Process Industry soar from a $.02 billion industry in the country to $7.3 billion profit in 2009.

"Today, the Philippines with 90 million challenged India’s one billion population for BPO supremacy."

The president outlined the investment paths leading to the industry’s success.

"First, digital infrastructure. We encouraged more broadband services in cities and identified growth areas. Thus the cost of international calls went down from 40 cents to 2 cents a minute through VOiP," he told the crowd who were mostly ICT stakeholders in the city with the academe and Teleperformance employees.

Second, President Arroyo created the Commission on ICT and adopted a policy of minimal interference.

"This philosophy drove the fast growth of call centers. Now the market is leading to the growth of the higher value added segments of the off shoring and out sourcing industries such as accounting, legal, medical and personnel and administrative services."

Third, the development of human capital.

"To increase the country’s share in the global market for off shoring and out sourcing services, the government intensified the implementation of various programs that will train its workforce."

Four thousand public schools are now connected to the internet, including 22 schools in Bacolod and in technical education and skills training; the present government invested three times as much as the combined budgets of the three previous administrations.

"Much work remains to be done, but I am determined to turn over to a new government a new Philippines ready for the challenge of bringing the nation to the verge of first world in 20 years."* (PIA-LOL)