CEBU CITY – Stakeholders in Cebu’s business process outsourcing (BPO) and information and communications technology (ICT) sectors are ironing out plans in creating a roadmap that will promote sustainable growth in these industries in Cebu.

The advocacy group is set to be established following a gathering of industry players for the ICT and BPO Conference 2010 to be held here next month as one of the highlights of the Cebu Business Month.

“Building a roadmap for the ICT and BPO industries in Cebu is one of the major objectives of the conference,” said Jerry Rapes, who chairs this year’s ICT and BPO Conference.

The conference is scheduled on June 22 while the exhibition will run from June 22 to 24 at the Cebu International Convention Center.

“We have realized that there is a need to expand the participation of industry stakeholders and create a permanent team so we could come up with a broader-based roadmap and create a stronger foundation for this advocacy,” said Rapes in a press conference.

He informed that some 500 representatives from major industry groups that will convene here will be among those who will help plot for the creation of the advocacy committee and the ICT and BPO roadmap.

The industry groups include the Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI), the Call Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP), the Game Developers’ Association of the Philippines (GDAP), the Medical Transcription Industry Association of the Philippines, Inc. (MTIAPI) and the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA).

“These industry stakeholders should work together to create a sustainable roadmap especially that Cebu is now considered the second hub for business expansion next to Manila,” he said.

Rapes added that with Cebu being twice recognized as the “top emerging global outsourcing city in the world” by independent investment advisory firm, Tholons, stakeholders here need to build a longer-term development plan for the industry that should address such issues as the growing demand for manpower and more infrastructure support.

Rapes said the province can already vouch for its friendly business climate since the advantage of Cebu is its being a business and leisure destination. “Whether you want to go up the mountains or to the beaches, these can be reached in just 10 to 20 minutes from anywhere that you are in Cebu,” he said.