Despite the global economic slowdown, leading outsourcing firm Convergys Corp. is on the roll with its Philippine expansion plans. On April 1, it is set to open 3 new contact center facilities in Cebu, Quezon City and Laguna.

The new centers would provide 2,900 new jobs and bring Convergys’ total headcount to 16,000.

Last year, the Cincinnati-based business process outsourcing (BPO) company said it would provide additional 7,000 jobs across the country this year. Convergys said it is on track with this promise as 2 more sites are in the pipeline.

In a media advisory, the BPO said the 3 new centers—Cebu Asiatown i3 in Cebu City; the UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub in Quezon City and the Nuvali TechnoHub in Santa. Rosa, Laguna—would bring its total Philippine facilities to 12.

The i3 facility is Convergys’ third site in Cebu City and would employ about 1,000.

Another 900 workers would be hired for its first hub in Nuvali TechnoHub in Santa Rosa in Laguna province.

It would engage up to 1,000 employees for the UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub site, Convergys’ seventh center in Metro Manila.

The company said President Arroyo will be the guest of honor for the simultaneous dedication of the three new contact centers.

Convergys' Philippine facilities offer services ranging from customer care to back office for its over 20 global clients mostly American and European multinationals. About 95 percent of its workforce currently provide voice support via telephone, web-chat and email and 5 percent back office such as financial services, application and document processing including analytical work services.

Convergys started in the Philippines with one site in the third quarter of 2003.