By Alastair McIndoe, Philippines Correspondent

MANILA: - Cotabato is an unlikely place to find a call centre in the Philippines.

Attracting investments to this city of nearly 300,000 people in the country's restive far south is a hard sell. The region is home to one of Asia's most enduring separatist insurgencies - and the headquarters of the main rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, is just a short drive from the city limits.

Cotabato has a bad reputation for kidnappings. Foreigners are warned not to wander alone and most who visit work for international development agencies. Even so, the city's first call centre opened two months ago.

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