The IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) has denounced the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region VII for what it called an “irresponsible and premature” disclosure of several BPO companies allegedly issued work stoppage orders following the recent Cebu earthquake.
In a statement released on Thursday, Oct. 9, IBPAP said DOLE Region VII regional director Roy Buenafe publicly identified several IT-BPM firms during a Senate Committee on Labor and Employment hearing, without prior investigation or validation.
The group said such actions “damage reputations, confuse employees, and create undue alarm among global clients,” potentially undermining investor confidence and job security in the sector.
“The reckless naming of companies before the Senate and in the media damages reputations, causes confusion among employees, and creates undue alarm among global clients whose confidence directly impacts investment, business continuity, retention, and creation of jobs in the Philippines,” IBPAP said.
The organization warned that the misinformation could have “serious international repercussions,” as clients may view the Philippines as “unreliable and inconsistent” in regulatory practices — potentially driving business to competing destinations and undermining countryside development goals.
IBPAP said it has reached out to DOLE’s National Capital Region office for an official list of affected companies and supporting documentation related to complaints raised by the BPO Industry Employee Network (BIEN). It added that no documents have been provided despite repeated requests.
Of the six companies named, four are IBPAP members. The association said internal inquiries with those firms found no evidence of employees being prevented from exiting workplaces or forced to return without safety clearance after the quake.
“Our findings disprove BIEN’s claims of widespread employee safety violations,” the group said.
IBPAP also questioned the impartiality of DOLE Region VII’s actions, noting that an inspection of one company allegedly covered by a work stoppage order was conducted only after the Senate hearing — and that a BIEN representative was present during the visit.
The group described BIEN as having a “highly biased stance” against IT-BPM employers.
The association urged DOLE to investigate the incident, issue a clarificatory statement, and correct its records by removing the names of the companies identified in the Senate report. It also called for stricter safeguards to prevent similar incidents.
“The IT-BPM industry employs 1.9 million Filipinos and contributes nearly $40 billion annually to the economy. Confidence built on fairness and compliance is the foundation of continued job creation,” IBPAP said.
It warned that unchecked misinformation could lead to investor distrust and the loss of critical operations to other countries, threatening the livelihoods of Filipino BPO workers and their families.
IBPAP reaffirmed its commitment to work with DOLE and other stakeholders “objectively and transparently” to resolve the issue but stressed that “worker welfare and employer integrity must both be protected.”
