MANILA, Philippines -- The Gokongwei-led conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. has joined the business process outsourcing (BPO) business with the opening of a 777-seater outsourcing unit at Robinsons Otis.

The new BPO unit, ITech Global Business Global Solutions Inc., aims to provide better customer service, technical support, telemarketing and tele-collections, market intelligence, financial services and other IT services, according to a disclosure submitted by the JG Summit to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

It would be providing both voice and non-voice solutions in the telecommunications, airline, real estate, hotel, retail as well as banking and finance industries in North America, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, Singapore and other Asian countries, JG Summit said.

ITech Global general manager Arlene Aguilar said the new unit had the ability to provide BPO services "at significantly lower costs."

"We add value by improving the clients' overall operational efficiency while reducing operating expenses and program start-up risks. We leverage on our synergies with the other JG Summit companies to shorten mobilization time and client ramp-up requirements," she said.

JG Summit's property arm Robinsons Land Corp., for instance, is a leading office property developer catering to call centers and BPOs.