EGS’s own building to rise in San Nicolas

ANOTHER major Information Technology and Business Process Management breaks ground on April 9 at the Valdez Center Commercial Complex at Barangay 1 in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte where its built-to-suit two-storey building is expected to be operational by early December this year. In the photo are (from left): San Nicolas Vice Mayor Boying Valdez, Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Angelo Barba, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, EGS Philippines president and country head Rainero "Bong" Borja and Atty. Hilario Valdez, CEO and chairperson of the VENVI Group of Companies.  (Lei Adriano)

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

SAN NICOLAS, Ilocos Norte—Expert Global Solutions (EGS), a major Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) is here to stay for good as it begins construction of its own facility in the country’s most business-friendly municipality, San Nicolas.

Two years ago, EGS began recruiting hundreds of Ilocanos which were brought to Clark, Pampanga for training.  Six months after, the company set up a temporary office at the i-Hub, an Ilocos Norte government-owned facility.

As Ilocos Norte province continues to stir economic progress, setting up investor-friendly packages and incentives to create more local jobs, EGS President Rainero “Bong” Borja said, “We are here to stay and fulfill a promise.”

Attended by local officials led by Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos and other stakeholders, the two-storey building of the EGS broke ground at the Valdez Center here in this town.

In partnership with the Venvi Group of Companies, a multi-million real estate developer in San Nicolas, the EGS building which will occupy at least 5,000 square meters is expected to be completed by October or six months from now.

Like Accenture which has an on-going building construction near the EGS site, VENVI has also partnered with EGS under a built-to-suit scheme.

“This is another milestone for Ilocos Norte and San Nicolas. We are a believer of the Ilocano talent and we commit to develop it. Setting up the building is a great challenge to put up in the next six months,” said Atty. Hilario “Larry” Valdez, chief executive officer and chairperson of the VENVI Group of Companies.

For his part, San Nicolas Vice Mayor Alfredo “Boying” P. Valdez Jr. said San Nicolas has sustained its lead as the country’s most business-friendly municipality as big time commercial establishments continue to rise and expand their businesses here.

To date, EGS Ilocos facility has hired about 200 Ilocano residents running world-class program from major telecommunication and healthcare provider in the United States.

“This is a testament that we have great people in Ilocos Norte engaged in sophisticated high level work. This is to show that we are not just recruiting people. Next beginning is to have a real permanent facility in Ilocos Norte,” Mr. Borja added.

The coming of EGS to Ilocos Norte is the result of various initiatives by the Ilocos Norte government and the Metro Ilocos Norte ICT Council (MINICTC) which is composed of representatives from various government agencies, private organizations, and educational institutions in the province. MINICTC is affiliated with the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines.

Under the Task Force Trabaho (TFT) campaign of the Ilocos Norte government, the Marcos administration’s top agenda is to create sustainable jobs in the province so that Ilocanos will no longer leave their hometown to search for employment opportunities elsewhere in Manila and abroad.

“We want more and better jobs to provide adequately for our families, both in our cities and in the far flung rural areas. Every Ilocano has the choice of working overseas or one day working here at home,” the governor said.

Since 2012, Ms. Marcos has been on the forefront of promoting the province as a prime destination for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies and other investors, emphasizing the quality and abundance of Ilocano talent, which makes Ilocos Norte great for business.