By IRMA ISIP

British banking giant Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp. is expanding its business process outsourcing operations in the Philippines with the opening of its second call-center facility.

Mark Watkinson, president and chief executive officer of HSBC Philippines, said the bank is also increasing its branch network to 30 by yearend from the current 25 unfazed as it is by the ongoing political turmoil.

Watkinson in a briefing said the second purpose-built call center is located along Commonwealth Ave. in a Technopark across the University of the Philippines Diliman campus.

The facility will house 3,500 staff, including 2,000 seats for call-center agents, and will be operational in two weeks, he said.

"It will do call-center servicing of our business in the United States and the United Kingdom. It will also value-added services, like global production of presentations for our units in the US and the UK," Watkinson said.

The Quezon City facility follows that in Alabang, which is also a purpose-built building for call-center operations.

The second facility will bring the total employees of HSBC in its BPO operations to 7,000. Besides the Alabang and Commonwealth Ave. call centers, the bank is renting a space at PBCom building on Ayala Ave. to serve some of its requirements.

"It’s quite possible to grow further our BPO business here. The ability of Filipinos to speak American English is amazing," Watkinson said.

With the opening of the Quezon City call center, he said the Philippines now houses HSBC’s second largest BPO operation after India.

Meanwhile, Watkinson said HSBC is opening five new branches of HSBC Savings Bank in Metro Manila this year to bring its total branch network to 30, including branches of HSBC main.

Right now, he said the bank is relocating five existing branches to BF Homes in Parañaque, Mall of Asia, Rockwell in Makati, Quezon City and Cubao. It is opening at the same time a new branch in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Watkinson said the bank is pouring "sufficient" investment for its BPO and branch network expansion.

"The economy is good. It grew 7.3 percent this year and it is expected to grow by six percent this year. That gives us opportunities to expand our business," he said.

Watkinson said HSBC’s total number of employees has swelled to 2,700 after growing by 1,600 in just the last three years. In the early 90s, the bank employed only less than 300, he said.