The government said it would allow call center companies to implement work-from-home (WFH) arrangement for much longer “until further notice”.

In a statement, Finance Secretary and Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) Chairperson Benjamin Diokno issued a memorandum provisionally extending the existing work-from-home (WFH) arrangement for the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) enterprises.

Diokno said he has deemed it necessary to retain the 70% on-site and 30% WFH arrangement, pursuant to FIRB Resolution No. 017-22.

This will stay until the FIRB conclusively decides on Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s request to extend the WFH setup.

 

“Considering the September 12, 2022 expiration of the resolution, it is just fair that we extend the WFH arrangement for IT-BPM companies until we finalize a resolution addressing the issue,” said Diokno.

 

According to Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko, the topic on the WFH extension request of PEZA is already included in the list of agenda items for the next FIRB meeting.

The FIRB meeting is set on September 15, 2022.

 

“Given the long-standing issue on the WFH extension for the IT-BPM sector, we hope the decision of the Board will finally bring clarity to the matter,” said Tionko, who also serves as the chairperson of the FIRB Technical Committee.

 

“We listen to our stakeholders and see the WFH arrangement to be the new business model of most of the registered business enterprises. Hence, the discussion on this matter in the next FIRB meeting requires a more permanent measure from the inter-agency body,” she added.