Japanese businesses have appealed to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to grant PEZA-registered flexible working arrangements similar to the privileges enjoyed by companies registered with the Board of Investments.
Tereso Panga, PEZA director-general, said this was raised by members of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc. (JCCIPI) at their annual general membership meeting on May 17 where he was guest.
Panga said he told the JCCIPI members PEZA is pushing for hybrid work arrangement of up to 30 percent allowance for work from home.
“Most of our locators would like to keep their PEZA registration and sites, while availing of flexiwork for their workers,” he said.
According to Panga, JCCIPI members also inquired if the Office of the President (OP) can speed up the process for ecozone proclamation to provide ready- for- occupancy sites for new and expanding investors.
In response, Panga said the President has tasked OP, PEZA and the Department of Trade and Industry to harmonize and streamline the ecozone proclamation process to facilitate the creation of more ecozones particularly in the countryside.
In his speech, Panga cited the remarkable contributions of Japanese locator companies to the economy.
To date, 884 Japanese enterprises are registered in PEZA contributing P745.637 billion investments and directly employing 345,807 workers.
This year alone, PEZA has approved three big-ticket Japanese investments with a combined investment capital of P20.95 billion. Irma Isip
