The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) is exploring options that would extend the work-from-home (WFH) or offsite arrangements for information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) companies without losing incentives, according to Tereso Panga, PEZA deputy director-general.
Panga said PEZA is banking on the possibility the Office of the President will declare another national state of calamity beyond September 22.
This, he said, can become the legal basis for extending the WFH setup of IT-BPM companies at up to 90 percent.
But without that document, Panga said PEZA can explore other options:
He said the PEZA board could approve the extension of the WFH of up to 90 percent up to the end of 2021 or 2022.
But Panga said this will be possible if and when the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reverses a previous decision denying the 90-percent WFH.
Panga said the DOF and the DTI cited provisions of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) which bar PEZA from registering activities/projects outside the ecozones.
Another proposal, he said, is to subject the WFH 90-percent activity to a joint regulation by PEZA and the Board of Investments.
Otherwise, Panga said PEZA could continue an existing policy that allows WFH but only up to 30 percent.
Panga said the Department of Labor and Employment is supportive of WFH arrangement without prejudice to locators retaining their incentives. – Irma Isip
