Photo Updates on Davao Mall Constructions

Abreza Ayala Mall Davao (from Councilor Lavina file photos)

Davao emerges as among World’s best sites for BPO, ICT business

DAVAO City has been named recently as one of the world’s best investment sites for business process outsourcing (BPO) industry and global offshore ICT hubs, according to a recently released study conducted by the EU-based XMG Global ICT Research and Advisory Service.The other “emerging off-shoring cities” cited in the global study together with Davao in the southern Philippines, include Casablanca in Morocco, Montevideo in Uruguay, and Jakarta in Indonesia.

XMG-Global public affairs officer Pierre Boudreau said foreign researchers and BPO executives who took part in the worldwide study are “very bullish about Davao City.”

This is due to the area’s much larger population of untapped English-speaking students and graduates compared to Cebu in the central Philippines and the country’s capital city of Manila where competition for qualified staff among BPO companies are fierce and the number of call centers and ICTs are nearing “saturation point.”

“We’re impressed by the huge untapped manpower base in Davao. This will be very attractive to many BPO companies in US and Europe planning to locate and expand their operations here,” Boudreau said.

This was confirmed by Teolulo Pasawa, head of the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center (Nerbac) — a special unit of Davao Region’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) — that helps new BPO investors set up their new call centers and other ICT businesses in the city.

“There are many schools, colleges, universities and training centers in Davao today producing thousands of qualified graduates for the BPO industry,” Pasawa said.

The XMG-Global ICT study show that the city of Davao alone with these various educational institutions and training centers, is producing every year a much higher number of IT and BPO qualified graduates than the cities of Subic, Clark and Baguio in central and northern Luzon.

Davao has 689 percent more graduates than Subic, 278 percent more than Clark, and 40 percent more than Baguio.

“This has not even taken into account the manpower pool at the nearby provinces, towns and small cities like Tagum, Panabo, Digos, Bansalan, Mati, Compostela, etc, which are also producing thousands of qualified graduates yearly,” Boudreau said.

The worldwide study highlighted the population of Davao City (1.4 million) as “considerably higher than other Tier-2 offshoring cities globally.”

In the Philippines, Davao City’s population is 71 percent bigger than Cebu City, 499 percent larger than Olongapo City in Subic, 333 percent higher than Angeles City in Clark, and 340 percent bigger than Baguio City.

Davao City’s estimated workforce, according to the study, is twice that of Cebu, nine times bigger than Subic, seven times bigger than Clark, and six times bigger than Baguio.

Modern telecom facilities, transportation networks, and public transport systems are already in place in Davao, according to Boudreau, “but there’s still a lot of room to further improve and modernize these facilities and services.”

To attract more BPO and ICT locators to Davao, XMG Researcher Camille Lumbang urged both the government and private sector “to act together with plans and programs to boost the overall image of Davao” as a top investment site for ICT and BPO businesses.

Foreign BPO executives are amazed that while Davao is now identified with three other global cities as best sites for BPO and ICT investments, “this fact alone has not sank in yet as local officials still could hardly believe it,” said Lumbang.

 

 

Construction of P2-B Robinson’s mall in GenSan starts

By Edwin G. Espejo
Sunstar Correspondent

GeNERAL SANTOS CITY — The Gokongwei-owned Robinson’s mall has started land preparation for the construction of its P2-billion mall project in General Santos City.

Located in an 8.5-hectare property along J. Catolico St. in Lagao, the project is expected to be completed in the second quarter of next year.

The project, according to City Hall media chief Avel Manansala, is reportedly the single biggest private investment in the city in recent years.

The two-storey mall is owned by Robinson’s Land Corp., a subsidiary of JG Summit. The store will be its third and biggest in Mindanao.

Robinson’s already has an outlet in Cagayan de Oro City. Construction of another branch in Davao City will soon start. Their General Santos branch will house the company’s flagship stores — Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Appliances, Handyman Do It Center.

In addition, the mall complex will also reportedly house four cinemas. The construction came after years of repeated reports that Robinson’s will finally make use of its property acquired in the 1990’s.

“It will be remembered that years ago, before a series of bombings rocked the city, they were supposedly set on starting this project back then and have even applied for a building permit,” according to Manansala.

But Robinson’s management held off planned construction until late last year. General Santos City Mayor Pedro ‘Jun’ Acharon Jr. said the entry of Robinson’s in the city would augur well for the local economy.

He said it is also a manifestation of investor confidence in the local government and residents of the city.

If completed, it will be the third mall to rise in General Santos. Already in existence are Gaisano General Santos and KCC Mall.

Manansala meanwhile revealed that SM Department Store, a rival chain of Robinson, is reportedly finalizing negotiations with the Salazar family for the lease or purchase of an eight-hectare property along Santiago Blvd for its own version of department store.

Davao-Manado Direct air service revived

By Carlo P. Mallo - Sunstar

DIRECT air service from Davao City to Manado in Indonesia has been revived with a new Indonesian airline servicing the route.In a chartered flight from Manado to Davao City and vice versa, the Wings Air landed at the Davao International Airport Thursday at 9:30 a.m. and had a return flight to Manado at 10:30 a.m. on the same day.Wings Air is a subsidiary of Lion Air, an Indonesia-based airline company.

In an interview Thursday, Daniel Jacob, district manager for Manado and East Indonesia, said they are very optimistic at the reception of the market and the market viability of their flight.

“We are fully booked for our trip today,” Jacob said.

The district manager added that based on the previous flight records of other airlines that serviced the same route; an average of more than 30 passengers per flight will be viable.

Compared to the previous airlines that serviced the Davao-Manado route, Wings Air is using a smaller aircraft for the route. Jacob also added that the aircraft is flexible and can accommodate more cargoes when there are fewer passengers.

The Wings Air flies from the Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado, Indonesia to the Davao International Airport once a week with a 54-seater aircraft.

For its two flights this month, this Thursday and on June 23, both are still chartered flights. Normal flight operations will start on a later date. Wings Air also provides connecting flights from Manado to the city of Jakarta and the island of Bali.

Jacob also said that an average price for a one-way ticket from Davao to Manado is at $200 while a roundtrip ticket is at $300 per passenger. 

 

 

Philippines’ Davao City seen as emerging Offshore Site

DAVAO CITY, June 5 Asia Pulse - A recently concluded XMG Global Offshoring Leadership Study revealed that Davao City in the Mindanao Region of the Philippines will be a viable alternative offshoring site 3 years from now.

The study predicts that organizations that are formulating the technology and procedural solutions to integrate a large manpower base into their global delivery centers will be at the forefront of the offshoring and outsourcing industry as the labor arbitrage model continues.

This result is part of an ongoing study conducted between January to March 2008, which focuses on forecasting the global demand for offshoring and outsourcing services and the site optimization of emerging cities.

Among the emerging alternative offshoring cities cited in the study were Montevideo, Uruguay; Jakarta, Indonesia ; and Casablanca, Morocco .

Despite periods of turmoil in the Mindanao Region, outsourcing vendors and captives who participated in the study are very bullish about Davao City, primarily due to the area’s larger population of untapped qualified resources compared to Cebu City in the Visayas Region north of Mindanao .

The study highlighted that competition in Cebu City is nearing saturation as the talent ramp-up continues. Among others, the study highlighted the population of Davao City as considerably higher than other Tier-2 offshoring cities globally.

In the Philippine context, Davao City’s population is 71 per cent higher than Cebu City, 499 per cent larger than Olongapo-Subic City 333 per cent higher than Angeles-Clark City and 340 per cent larger than Baguio City.

The city’s estimated workforce is twice of Cebu, 9 times of Subic and 7 times of Clark and 6 times of Baguio. This has not even taken to account the manpower pool at the nearby cities and provinces of Davao City .

According to the study, Davao City has various educational institutions annually yielding a higher number of IT and BPO qualified graduates than Subic, Clark and Baguio by 689 per cent, 278 per cent and 40 per cent respectively.

Read More: http://au.news.yahoo.com/080605/3/175h1.html

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Davao Callcenter Jobseeker

Hivers! for your convenience, see the Website’s Davao Hive Summaries at the sidebar and check out the summary and details of existing contact centers in davao

Check out also the complete information list of Davao City and Samal hotels & resorts.

Metro Davao and Southern Mindanao “on the rise” Malls

UNDER CONSTRUCTION:

• Ayala Mall of Davao                                     Davao City
• Robinson’s Cybergate Davao                       Davao City
• Gaisano Grand Mall                                      Panabo City
• Robinson’s Place GenSan                             General Santos City

PLANNED:

• NCCC Mall of Mati                                       Mati City
• SM City GenSan                                            General Santos City
• SM City North Mall Davao                            Lanang, Davao City

Filinvest Land to put up business Hotel in Davao City

DAVAO CITY—Filinvest Land will construct a businessman’s hotel here this year.

Tristan Las Marias, Filinvest vice president for the Visayas and Mindanao, said the hotel will rise in uptown Buhangin and will cater mainly to business travelers.

Project details have yet to be finalized but he said the hotel will not cater to conventions and other functions. “This is not like the common hotels that we have. We won’t hold conventions or similar functions.” He said construction will likely proceed in the third quarter of the year. Filinvest held its groundbreaking ceremony Friday to start the construction of two condominium buildings in a 2.3-hectare property on Ecowest Drive in Ecoland Subdivision in Matina, south of downtown.

More on Business Mirror online: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/05122008/companies02.html

Davao’s Booming Vertical Residences

RECENTLY LAUNCHED CONDOMINUMS IN DAVAO:

• Ecoland 4000 Residences         2 5-Storey Codos                   Ecoland, DC           
• One Oasis Davao                      5 7-Storey Condos                 Ecoland, DC
• Magallanes Residences             3 7-Storey Condos                Magallanes St., DC
• Azure Resort Condominium                                                    Gold Coast Samal City

PLANNED CONDO PROJECTS FOR 2008:

• Filinvest Condominium                                                        Ma-a, near NCCC Mall
• 15-Storey Condo                                                                  Near Davao Doctor’s

OTHER “MEGA” REAL ESTATE PROJECTS RECENTLY LAUNCHED IN DAVAO:

• Kembali Coast                                                                        Samal City
• Holiday Ocean View Samal & Marina Park                            Samal City
• Playa Azalea Resort Hotel Estate                                         Samal City
• Las Palmas Verdes Estate                                                     Mandug, DC
• Ocean Cove Posh Residences                                               Talomo, DC

PLANNED HOTELS IN DAVAO:

• Playa Azalea (200-Room Resort Hotel)                           under construction
• Holiday Ccean View Hotel and Spa                                 under construction
• One Oasis Davao (3 5-story Condo-Hotels)                   2008
• Filinvest Buhangin Business Hotel                                  2008
• Marco Polo Hotel (100-Room Expansion)                        2008
• 12-Storey Central Plaza Hotel (Chinatown)                   under construction
• MCCCP Samal Hotel and Convention Center                   —–