Proposed legislation in the United States that discourages call center companies from hiring talent abroad is a "clear threat" to the business process outsourcing industry in the Philippines and to millions it employs, a group said Sunday.
If the 'Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025' becomes law, companies in the US that insist on offshoring call center jobs could risk losing federal grants or loans, Renso Bajala, secretary general of the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN), said.
This would discourage companies from outsourcing talent abroad — such as the Philippines, where foreign firms seek "cheap labor" to cut costs — in favor of US job seekers, said Bajala.
Already, BPO workers face the threat of layoffs due to the adoption of artificial intelligence in the workplace.
"Malinaw siya na banta. It's a threat sa kabuhayan ng milyon-milyong [Pilipino] kasi 1.9 [million] as of 2025 'yung employed sa BPO industry," he said.
(It is a clear threat to the livelihood of millions. As of 2025, there are 1.9 million employed in the BPO industry)
He said the proposed law could start a domino effect in countries where US firms outsource their business processes like those in Latin America, Africa, and the rest of Southeast Asia, he said.
The potential impact of the US legislation, Bajala said, exposes the Philippines' "weak" economy and its dependence on foreign companies.
He sees a solution in the "industrialization" of the Philippines to boost its capability to serve not just foreign clients but also local firms that need service.
