Resolve WFH ‘impasse’ in BPO sector, Hontiveros tells incoming economic team

Sen. Risa Hontiveros. Senate PRIB file photo / Voltaire F. Domingo

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday  prodded the country’s incoming economic team to resolve the work-from-home (WFH) “impasse” in the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) sector.

“Ideally, bago pa mailuklok ang bagong economic team ng bansa [prior to the assumption into office of the new economic team of the country], they should already find common ground with the IT-BPM sector and remove the anxiety of their investors and international clients,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“Let’s not forget that the IT-BPM sector has been the only consistent generator of jobs in the past two and a half years of the pandemic. If we take care of the workers, the sector is set to continue attracting talent and growing,” she  also said.

The senator stressed that, “working remotely also lessens the cost and cuts down on the stress of commuting, especially in Metro Manila.”

At the height of the pandemic last year, the government allowed a WFH set up for business process outsourcing (BPO) firms until end of March this  year without losing their tax perks.

The  request for extension, however, was rejected by the interagency Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIBR), which oversees  the grant of  tax perks to qualified businesses, saying the WFH setup was only  a temporary measure.

While BPO firms can still opt to continue with the WFH arrangement, they will no longer enjoy the tax incentives, FIBR officials earlier said in separate interviews.

Hontiveros, meanwhile, pressed on the BPO sector’s plea.

“Sang-ayon ako sa gusto ng mga BPO workers. I think those are very reasonable demands,” she  said, referring  to the workers’ argument that they would spend more if they would be required to work on- site.

The senator expressed hopes the incoming economic team would heed the appeal.

“The ball is now in the next administration’s court,” Hontiveros said, “It’s high time we start working under a ‘better normal,’ and not just a ‘new normal.’”

“Huwag sana tayong paatras sa mga dating klase ng mga labor laws or even tax laws na pipilitin talagang bumalik sa pre-pandemic working conditions. Maging flexible naman tayo [Let’s not backward pedal into the previous kinds of labor laws or tax laws that we are forced to go back in the pre-pandemic working conditions. Let’s be flexible],” she added.

JPV