“We would like to celebrate and pay tribute to the 
modern-day heroes and new breed of industry movers — the men and women of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry,” expresses the forward-looking Royale Chimes Concerts and Events Inc. managing director Beth Mercado with director of Sales Yuri Mercado and manager of Public Relations and Marketing Calvin Murphy Neria about the mission of the Search of Mr. and Miss BPO.
“We feel that we need to do something as an event company that could somehow help towards nation-building. We hope that we could get all the support that we need from the BPO industry, the media and advertisers,” adds Beth of the support it requires to deliver the lofty ideals.
The first Search for Mr. and Ms. BPO finals night will be held on November 21, 2017 in Metro Manila’s biggest events venue, the world-class Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
CREDENTIALS. Royale Chimes is known for having brought to Metro Manila global British entertainers such as Bootleg Beatles, The Stylistics, Jack Jones (with Jose Mari Chan as special guest) and Boy George and the Culture Club. It also brought in the Hello Kitty show.
Its “#LoveThrowback,” which showcases Original Pilipino Music love songs, started the hugot line trend in Valentine concerts. The concept was such a hit that “#LoveThrowback2” was last Valentine season’s highest grosser among premium-priced tickets. A repeat was announced right on the evening of the soldout concert.
With TV actor and model Prince de Guzman as program host, Calvin and mentors thoroughly detailed answers to every question about the upcoming Search of Mr. and Ms. BPO. The media rallied support for the pioneer pageant aimed to enhance and advance the self-worth and image of BPO employees.
BPO or what is commonly referred to as call or contact center is much misunderstood. Although a lucrative industry that places it in importance over the overseas employment business, it has a high turnover despite attractive compensation packages.
Although carefully recruited, players show a tendency to work fatigue so many are chronic smokers, alcohol guzzlers, bar-hoppers, free-spenders and sex-trippers. Organizers thought the excesses could be alleviated with an alternative program that the Search for Mr. and Ms. BPO offers.
The first contact center was established in the Philippines in 1992. After almost two decades, the Philippines was declared the world’s BPO capital overpowering India. And last year, it was projected to have generated 1.3 million new jobs with a 17 percent annual growth. Without a doubt, the Philippines is the global standard for the BPO enterprise.
A breakthrough production of Royale Chimes Concerts and Events Inc. with the enthusiastic cooperation of BPO industry players to offer the innovative solution that will provide entertainment to the “mga bagong bayani ng bayan (the new heroes of the country)” through the search of their ambassador.
First revealed to this writer in snippets during the launch of the soldout “Lovethrowback 2” at Luxent Hotel last February, planning took six months before the Royale Chimes Concerts and Events Inc. team launched the pageant formally at the Cervantes Room of the luxurious Discovery Primea in Makati City.
An exciting search with a fresh and innovative approach, the first “Mr. & Ms. BPO” highlights the work force behind one of the most progressive industries in the country to date.
“We didn’t go to the battle unprepared,” proudly shared director Calvin. “We brainstormed day in and out and researched everything about the BPO industry. We were heavily prepared from the venue of the launch to the lineup of the mentors up to the video teaser of the search.”
QUALIFICATIONS. The first Mr. and Miss BPO aims to promote excellence, leadership and camaraderie in the workplace. It will also empower the candidates to impart the right attitude at work and the drive to help in nation building. Facilitating the development of the candidates in a holistic approach is a formidable team composed of mentors for fitness and well-being, communication skills, emotional intelligence acumen and modeling, just to name a few.
The Search is now accepting applicants. Interested parties must be 18 to 26 years old, single, Filipino citizen or with Filipino blood ancestry, at least 5’4” tall for female and 5’6” tall for male. They must also have proportionate physiques, possess pleasing personalities, and with good moral character. He/she must also be regular employees of the company and a resident of the Philippines.
There will be two days of screening and one day to finalize the official candidates. A lineup 20 pairs representing the different BPO companies is planned, a total of 40 individuals who will be screened by a panel of distinguished personalities from the industry of business, fashion, health and wellness, entertainment, advertising, among others.
Each titleholder wins P300,000 each with the company they represent getting P150,000 each for the corporate responsibility. First runners-up will get P200,000 each and P100,000 each for the company they represent. And the Second Runners up will be get P100,000 each and P50,000 each for the company they represent.
MENTORING. Shortlisted candidates will be mentored in aspects of personality enhancement by the following mentors with impressive credentials:
June Macasaet, model and male pageant winner who was crowned Manhunt International 2012 at Bangkok, Thailand. He is the first Filipino to win the international male beauty pageant and has since then turned its template;
Jennifer Hammond, Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental (Miss Intercontinental Philippines) 2016 turned in-demand motivational speaker. She now jurors “It’s Showtime’s” highly popular “Miss Q & A” segment; Mauro Lumba, grand winner of Century Tuna Superbods 2014, favorite ramp model and television and film actor; Ruby Manalac, a sales and marketing specialist here and abroad. Operations and different facets of Human Resources and Organizational Development focusing on training are her specialties. She is a recognized emotional intelligence expert; and Jonathan Yabut, marketing genius after emerging as the first winner of the The Apprentice Asia. He is frequently invited to give motivational talks in schools, corporations and other institutions about leadership, marketing and youth empowerment. And now in the exciting Mr. and Ms. BPO Search!
“The mentors complement each other and will make the candidates who joined experience a worthwhile journey. They told us that they will help the pageant in full capacity,” adds Yuri.
To register and join the Mr. and Ms. BPO, check out the official Web site (www.mrandmsbpo.com) and download the application form. For more details, follow the event’s social media accounts on Facebook (MrandMsBPOofficial), Instagram (mrandmsbpoofficial), Twitter (MrandMsBPO) and on YouTube (MrandMsBPO). For other inquiries, you may call the Mr. and Miss BPO secretariat at 0977-3846984.
“We are very positive about the search because there’s an overwhelming feedback from the BPO people themselves,” shares Beth. “We’re getting a lot of e-mails congratulating us for this endeavor. We are so grateful that somehow we are touching the lives of the people in the BPO industry. I hope they would support us all the way so we can pursue and stage this pageant every year.”
With all these breakthroughs, the search for the perfect BPO Ambassadors is equally exciting. The time has come to put the spotlight to the new breed of young men and women.
What has been the initial response? Spills the ecstatic Yuri, “Tremendous!”
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Winning kick-off for Mr. and Miss BPO search
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