Sourcefit, Philippine BPO Companies Step In To Supplement Gov’t Flood Relief Efforts

Manila, Philippines October 9, 2009 – The floods came without warning. City residents are used to the storms and they try not to let them upset their daily routines but tropical storm Ondoy (known internationally as Ketsana) was different. “I knew there was a tropical storm warning but I thought it would just amount to some inconvenience trying to stay dry walking from my ride to the office,” said Kai Desamparado a Customer Service Representative working for leading Philippine BPO provider Sourcefit. “I was in the middle of my shift when I received a call from my family that our house was filling with water. Soon half a dozen of my colleagues had received similar calls. There was no
warning and my family said that within minutes the water was waist deep in our house and even higher in some other houses.”

Ondoy dumped more than a month’s worth of rain in a 24-hour period, overwhelming the city’s drainage system and sending flood waters raging through several city neighborhoods, causing the worst flooding in the capital in more than 40 years. “Everything happened so fast and the affected area was so wide that many of us couldn’t even get home, and the ones that did had to wade for hours through flooded streets,” Kate Fruto said.

Stretched thin by the scale of the flooding, government relief efforts were focused on protecting human lives, leaving displaced residents to fend for themselves or rely on extended family for support. With over 30% of its staff severely affected by the flooding of neighborhoods nearby its offices, Sourcefit management knew it had to step in and fill the gap in relief and services. The first step was to rent temporary housing for the employees who had lost their homes. Next, the company put together two relief funds; one distributing a variety of basic necessities including food and clothing and the other offering no-interest loans to help employees begin rebuilding their lives. "We canvassed our clients to help us build these funds and found them to be tremendously generous" said Sourcefit President Andy Schachtel. "I think that not only are they touched by the tragedy that has struck these people who they work closely with every day, but they are also moved by the dedication of the employees who have been making extraordinary efforts to continue their work despite their hardships."

More than two weeks after the storms, many neighborhoods remain under water and the rebuilding process is slow. With no government assistance, a lack of widespread insurance coverage and limited personal savings, companies such as Sourcefit will continue to play a primary role in helping their employees recover and rebuild their lives.

To donate to general Philippine flood relief efforts please visit The Philippine National Red Cross website.

Source: www.pressabout.com