Reported BPO interviews at Davao City coffee shop spark discussion

Some called it laidback and practical; others called it uncomfortable and sketchy

A post about a BPO interview supposedly being held at a popular coffee shop branch in Davao City has sparked discussion over the use of public spaces as recruitment venues.

DAVAOMIGRANT—an account known for political commentary and social observations—said in an Oct. 2 post on X that he was waiting out the rain at Dunkin’ when he noticed what appeared to be interviews for call center jobs at a nearby table.

According to the account, the BPO company had paid the branch ₱3,000, consumable, to use the café as a venue for the interviews.

“Dumudugo na tenga ko sa karirinig ng Ingglisan. Tama naman ang grammar ni madam interviewer. But the applicants? I pity them. It’s a torture to listen to them,” the account wrote.

Rather than dismissing the setup, several commenters said BPO interviews in cafés were not unusual, pointing to practical reasons for doing so.

One commenter said BPOs sometimes use cafés because of the foot traffic and because they can bring recruitment closer to applicants. They also pointed out that communication skills can be “trainable” and that companies may hire applicants based on the needs of a particular client.

Another commenter said the practice has been around for decades, particularly when a company is still building its office. They also noted that while online interviews are now an option, in-person recruitment could still be a means of “giving chance sa mga walang pang online.”

Others said applicants may feel more comfortable with the “relaxed” setting of a café compared with the “stiffness” and “formality” of an office.

But not everyone was convinced.

One commenter called it “kinda sketchy” that the BPO did not have a recruitment area, while another wondered whether it might be a “fly by night company.” Another said applicants would be better off seeing the workplace where they could potentially be employed.

The setup also raised concerns for people who were not part of the recruitment process.

“Allowed pala ang mag-conduct interview sa public place,” one commenter wrote, saying the arrangement could be uncomfortable for both applicants and customers who simply wanted to wait out the rain.

Some commenters, however, criticized DAVAOMIGRANT for what they saw as a dismissive or mocking tone toward the applicants. The account later clarified that his “I pity them” remark was about their spoken English, which he said did not meet the requirements of the jobs they were applying for.

The following day, the account addressed the criticism again, noting they just “ACCIDENTALLY” overheard the interview and did not intend to ridicule the applicants.

“Since when has it become a sin to voice out one’s honest opinion? Was I spewing hatred over these applicants who must have known from the start that what they were applying for is a job that needed a good command of spoken English?” the account wrote.

“I will not say sorry for something that I said which was not intended to ridicule, but to voice out a bit of my agony over what I was feeling given that I did not intend to be in this situation,” it added.

Dunkin’ has yet to issue a statement on the matter.

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