Last week, tragedy hit our family and the IT-BPM industry. Our cousin, and one of its most dedicated champions of the IT-BPM industry, Mitch Locsin, passed away. He was 55 years old.

Mitch first got involved in the BPO industry as early as 2005. He served on the board of trustees of the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), where he previously served as executive director. It’s safe to say you cannot talk about the Philippine BPO industry without talking about Mitch's tireless leadership, which helped shape it into what it is today.

He dedicated over two decades of his life to help transform an emerging sector into a core Philippine economic industry that continues to support millions of Filipino families. He saw the potential and worked tirelessly in laying the groundwork to make the Philippines a global leader in customer service management. He knew that to build a resilient framework for national growth, you needed to bring in different stakeholders, and that’s what he worked on.

He later worked at PLDT for 15 years, leading the Enterprise and International Business Groups, where he ensured outsourcing firms had stable access to make the industry globally competitive. As part of his work, he also led the efforts to expand BPO operations to the different provinces in the country.

He did not stop there. As president of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (now called CXAP) in 2022, and Chairman in 2023, Mitch played a pivotal role in steering the Philippines through a critical time of transition. With the breakneck speed of advancements in automation and AI, he was instrumental in pushing for a 2022 to 2028 roadmap to keep the Philippines at the forefront.

Mitch was my first cousin. He was born a little over a year before me, and we both grew up in Ormoc City, and we were looking forward to him going back to Ormoc. He just retired from the corporate world and finally had the opportunity to do something close to his heart: helping the family corporation. He had a lot of really good ideas. Unfortunately, he was taken too soon.

Hearing the stories shared during his wake last weekend in Manila, you got the impression that Mitch was the guy who you could always rely on if you needed help. With so much being done for other people, you’d wonder if he had enough time for his family, of which Mitch made sure he did. He always took the opportunity to be there for them, supporting their hobbies and sporting events, and he managed his time. Hence, his family always knew THEY were his priority, because he was dedicated to them. The love of his life were his three children, Paolo, Pia, and Paco, and Bea, his wife, whom he loved unconditionally. Whenever they called, they said Mitch always answered. In today’s world, where people seem to be so caught up with what they’re doing, some tend to forget what matters the most. Mitch never forgot that.

I wish more people had known him and not just what the corporate world knew of him- how brilliant he was and what he did for the country, especially the BPO industry. But Mitch as a person, and how he touched so many lives. His infectious positivity, with a sprinkle of cussing, was always fun to watch and hear. He had that vibe that made you feel that yes, there are challenges, but ultimately, these obstacles are not insurmountable. That guy who you could run to for help and support, no matter what he was going through himself. According to a good friend of his, despite his busy schedule, he would magically find time to help others.

Just a reminder that in this day and age when life seems to be going so fast and so much is happening all the time, we tend to forget what’s really important: our family. So, tonight, when you get home, take the extra time to spend with your loved ones. They know you love them. But remind them how important they are to you.

(The author is a former Comelec commissioner. He was the chairman of the Comelec Steering Committee that oversaw the successful modernization of the first national automated Philippines elections in 2010. He remains involved in public service as an election lawyer and is a Senior Partner at Divina Law Office.)