Businessman Joey Concepcion, Private Sector Advisory Council lead for jobs, is encouraging more companies to return to office to further improve mobility and increase consumption to sustain growth.
Concepcion is discouraging work-from-home (WFH) now that the pandemic is over since this effectively limits mobility.
“I have mixed views (on WFH). Because there will be less mobility, there is less consumption. No one will ride Angkas, Joyride, or the bus and jeepney. No one will eat outside, no one will buy clothes for the office,” Concepcion told Laging Handa public briefing yesterday.
“Work-from-home was okay during the pandemic, but at this time when we are no longer in a pandemic, we should implement work from office (onsite),” he said.
Concepcion said certain sectors can implement WFH such as those in information technology.
“But to stimulate the economy, we have to encourage more mobility. If there is no mobility, there will be very weak consumer spending and that will lead to lower…growth,” he said.
As the economy enters the most important quarter of the year, the fourth quarter which is marked by Christmas spending, Concepcion expressed optimism the country will have a good year.
He said the economy should continue grow faster.
“The 4.3 percent growth in the second quarter is not what we are looking for. We should be at 6 (percent) plus or higher,” he said.
Concepcion also expressed hope the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will no longer increase interest rates to make loans accessible especially to micro, small and medium enterprises which need funds for working capital.
“As inflation (is) muted, hopefully interest rates will go down,” said Concepcion, adding prices key commodities are beginning to decline.
“Once prices go down, hopefully consumption can increase,” he said.
