THE HEAD of a regional information and communication technology (ICT) sector group called on the Davao City government to reassess its lockdown approach in containing coronavirus transmissions in offices, citing its potential devastating effect on the outsourcing industry.

ICT-Davao, Inc. President Samuel R. Matunog said shutting down the physical base of business process outsourcing (BPOs) companies significantly disrupt operations, which could easily prompt clients to change service providers.

“In outsourcing, the BPO gets paid only for work done. That’s the source of the money they pay their employees. If the BPOs concerned are cooperative, and there are alternative ways of protecting workers from COVID-19 transmission while in the workplace, then lockdowns should be a response of last resort,” Mr. Matunog told BusinessWorld.

“My understanding is that center-based BPOs are willing to work with public health authorities to implement alternative measures to contain COVID-19 short of total lockdown,” he added.

ICT-Davao is the umbrella organization of the sector’s players in Davao Region, which covers five provinces apart from Davao City.

Davao City Assistant City Health Officer Marjorie D. Culas announced Monday that 403 call center agents in one of the BPO companies in Davao City tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The results were from surveillance testing of about 1,000 BPO workers. The health officer did not name the company, which has been placed under lockdown.

In the last week of May, BPO firm Teleperformance’s office was locked down by the city government after at least 44 workers tested positive for COVID-19.

Ms. Culas said there are currently 11 BPO companies with reported COVID-19 cases. She also noted that there have been “uncooperative” BPO firms that were found to have allowed employees with coronavirus symptoms to still report for work.

She added that contact tracers also faced difficulties getting information from patient on their close contacts.

The Labor department’s regional director, Ofelia B. Domingo, said they have inspected 14 BPOs so far this year. Of these, 12 were found compliant to health and safety protocols while the rest were given recommendations for improvement.

Apart from BPOs, the city government has ordered lockdowns on more than 20 establishments including government offices, banks, and food and dining shops. — Maya M. Padillo

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