Tom: HIV risk among BPO workers not alarming

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he is not at all alarmed over reports of increasing Human Immunodeficiency Virus cases among employees in the Business Process Outsourcing industry because he said that it is normal for those who can afford a cozy lifestyle to become reckless and encounter such problems.

“That’s why there should be awareness here but let’s put things in the right perspective. It’s just that there are 50,000 people involved in the product outsourcing,” Osmeña said.

He said that there is nothing to do with the call center but it is with the fact that these kinds of problem are expected, although not encouraged.

“Because they can afford to enjoy life, they get restless, so they have higher percentage of getting involved,” Osmeña said, “but there should be very strong awareness and education.”

Osmeña said he is more worried about the impact of these reports on many potential employees of the BPO.

“What I’m worried about is we could discourage many people from joining call centers. If I know, many already don’t like to join,” he said.

He added that it could also impact the BPO industry through the clients who might stop outsourcing here in the country.

The mayor insisted authorities must still focus in monitoring commercial sex workers because they remain the most vulnerable to HIV infection.

The University of the Philippines Population Institute and the Department of Health earlier reported the results of its study showing the call center agents’ tendency to involve in risky behavior like casual sex.

Dr. Eric Tayag of the National Epidemiology Center of DOH said that one example of risky behavior is drinking alcohol.

“Alcohol clouds the mind and it causes low self-esteem which could lead to risky sexual behavior like casual sex which is easy gratification or easy comfort. So those are risk factors that can lead to other risky behavior,” he said.

Tayag said that it is not about the agents’ job but their lifestyle that is putting them at risk of HIV.

DOH also said that Metro Cebu is one of the hot zones next to Manila when it comes to HIV infections.

Tayag however clarified that it is not because the incidence or prevalence is getting higher here but because of the elements wherein high-risk behavior may be more prevalent due to the level of urbanization, density of the population and the opportunities for casual sex and other risky behavior. —Jessica Ann R. Pareja/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)