The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) yesterday said it supports the request of the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) companies for a transition from work-from-home (WFH) setup to onsite as well as the proposal for a permanent option to do hybrid work.
PEZA director-general Charito Plaza said IT-BPM companies want a staggered scheme on WFH and transition to hybrid scheme.
Plaza said from April 1 to June 30 or at the end of the Duterte administration, IT-BPM companies propose 60 percent WFH and 40 percent on site; from July 1 to September 28 when the state of calamity ends, 50 percent WFH and 50 percent onsite; till the end of the year ratio depends if and when government allows hybrid.
Plaza said PEZA it will ask for a reconsideration on the decision of the Fiscal Incentives Review Board rejecting the Authority’s request for an extension of the WFH arrangement of IT-BPM firms on the ground of rising prices of fuel, the pandemic and the investments put in by companies on equipment for WFH.
Plaza said most of all, competitor countries like India have adopted hybrid work under the new normal.
Jack Madrid president of the Information Technology Business Processing Association, said the group will continue to push for a long-term scheme giving the industry flexibility to adopt hybrid work on a more permanent basis.
Madrid said the group supports the need to fully reopen the economy but as IT-BPM employees have an overwhelming preference for a balanced, hybrid work arrangement,” we are working with our government partners to provide the industry a smooth transition to onsite operations towards a WFH / hybrid model in the longer term.”
Madrid in previous public speeches had called on the possible legislation of hybrid work as a permanent option to the sector similar to what competitor countries had done.
