IMEE: UPDATE WORK-FROM-HOME ARRANGEMENTS

Senator Imee Marcos has urged the Department of Finance (DOF) to iron out inconsistencies between its back-to-office order and the government's approval of work-from-home programs before the Covid-19 pandemic began.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, said the lack of a consistent and comprehensive policy on work-from-home arrangements discouraged the entry of more foreign investors and would make it harder for the next administration to keep investment growth on track.

"Companies in export zones are now afraid of losing their tax incentives if they don't resume all operations on-site. But their work-from-home programs were approved as early as 2017, which the Telecommuting Act of 2018 also supports," Marcos explained.

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) approved the pre-pandemic WFH programs of companies that mainly belonged to the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector: Accenture, ANZ Global Services and Operations, Deltek Systems, HSBC Electronic Data Processing, Optimum Global Solutions, and PSG Global Solutions.

Despite two years of the pandemic and under work-from-home conditions, the IT-BPM sector grew its workforce by 8.9% to 10% and its revenue by about 9.5% to 14.5%, according to PEZA data.

But the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB), headed by the DOF, ordered a return to full office operations at the end of March to aid the recovery of businesses that depend on IT-BPM workers for their livelihood.

Marcos asserts that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) like community groceries, restaurants, and delivery services would also thrive where employees worked from home.

While fear of a pandemic resurgence remains, Marcos supports PEZA's call to extend WFH programs until the end of the government's state of calamity declaration in September.

She added that working from home helps employees save on fuel and commuting costs, besides minimizing traffic and public transport congestion.

Wifi connection problems would also ease with the broader distribution of internet bandwidth away from business centers, which Marcos said even the FIRB recognizes.

(Tagalog version)

IMEE: PATAKARANG WORK FROM-HOME, DAPAT KLARUHIN NG DOF

Nanawagan si Senador Imee Marcos sa Department of Finance (DOF) na ayusin agad ang back-to-office order nito na sumasalungat sa mga inaprubahan nang mga work-from-home program bago umiral ang Covid-19 pandemic.

Sinabi ni Marcos, chairman ng Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, magdudulot ng kawalang gana sa mga dayuhang investor na mamuhunan sa bansa ang kawalan ng komprehensibong patakaran sa mga work-from-home arrangement at pahihirapan nito ang susunod na administrasyon para mapanatili ang paglago ng foreign investment sa Pilipinas.

"Maraming kumpanya sa export zone ang natatakot ngayon na mawalan ng mga insentibo sa buwis kung hindi nila ibalik ang kanilang buong operasyon sa on-site. Pero ang kanilang mga programang work-from-home ay naaprubahan na ng gobyerno 2017 pa lang at suportado ito ng 2018 Telecommuting Act," paliwanag ni Marcos.

Una nang inaprubahan ng Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) ang mga pre-pandemic WFH programs ng mga kumpanya na kabilang sa sektor ng information technology at business process management (IT-BPM), tulad ng Accenture, ANZ Global Services and Operations, Deltek System, HSBC Electronic Data Processing, Optimum Global Solutions at PSG Global Solutions.

Sa kabila ng dalawang taong pandemya at sa ilalim ng mga kondisyong work-from-home, lumago pa rin ang bilang ng mga manggagawa o empleyado sa IT-BPM sector ng 8.9% hanggang 10%, pati na rin ang kita nito ng 9.5% hanggang 14.5%, ayon sa datos ng PEZA.

Pero ang Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRVB), na pinamumunuan ng DOF, ay una nang nag-utos katapusan ng Marso na ibalik na ang buong operasyon ng mga kumpanya sa kani-kanilang opisina, para matulungang makarekober ang mga negosyong umaasa sa mga empleyado ng IT-BPM sector para sa kanilang kabuhayan.

Iginiit ni Marcos na ang micro, small at medium enterprises (MSMEs) tulad ng mga grocery sa mga komunidad, mga restoran, at mga delivery services ay lalago rin dahil sa mga empleyadong naka-work-from-home.

Sa gitna ng mga takot na manunumbalik ang pandemya, sinusuporta ni Marcos ang panawagan ng PEZA na paabutin ang mga WFH program hanggang Setyembre, kung kalian matatapos ang deklarasyon ng gobyerno ng isang state of calamity sa bansa.

Dagdag pa ni Marcos na nakatutulong sa mga empleyado ang pagtatrabaho sa bahay para makatipid sa gasolina at pamasahe, bukod sa nakababawas rin sa trapik at pagsisikip ng mga pampublikong mga sasakyan.

Mababawasan rin ang pagbagal ng mga wifi connection dahil sa mas malawakang distribusyon ng internet bandwith palayo sa mga business center, na ayon kay Marcos ay kinikilala rin maging ng FIRB.