ILOILO CITY - Iloilo City, Bacolod City and Cebu City should become the Philippines’ next IT hub, senatorial candidate Joey de Venecia III said Thursday in the midst of a two-day sortie throughout Panay Island and the Visayas.

“These three cities have the facilities, skilled manpower and business environment that Metro Manila provides the call center industry, which now employes more than 600,000 Filipinos,” according to de Venecia, who set up the first call center in the country more than a decade ago

. While noting that there are a few call centers in the three cities in southern Philippines, the son and namesake of former Speaker Jose de Venecia said there was still room for growth. Of the three, Iloilo has the biggest potential, he added. Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies usually operate on a 24 hour, seven day basis.

“The peaceful environment of Iloilo City is an added plus, since some workers report for work or go home in the early morning hours,” according to de Venecia. A member of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino’s Senate slate, de Venecia envisions the Philippines as a potential leader in IT in Southeast Asia, at par with Singapore.