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Friday, March 29, 2024

Ecozone firms asked to submit request for 70/30 WFH scheme

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Companies in economic zones are required to submit letter of request to qualify for the 70/30 work-from-home ratio extension until June 20, 2022, or they may lose the incentives they are enjoying as Philippine Economic Zone Authority-registered locators.

The IT Business Process Association of the Philippines said the same procedure was the norm during pre-pandemic period when an ITBPO company saw the need for flexible work based on the Telecommuting Act.

“RBEs [registered-business enterprises] need to submit a letter of request to PEZA addressed to director-general Charito Plaza as soon as possible. The letter of request needs to be signed by the highest authority in the office, like the country head or president and not the HR jead or head of facilities,” ITBPAP said.

The group said in a recent membership meeting the 70-percent on-site and 30-percent WFH or remote work would be based on headcount.

The Fiscal Incentives Review Board earlier denied the request of PEZA to extend the 90 percent WFH arrangement until September 28, 2022.

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According to the FIRB, the WFH arrangement is only a time-bound temporary measure adopted during the surge of the pandemic, and the return-to-office order is necessary to help bounce back from the crisis.

RBEs that have not yet filed their letters of request should comply with the mandatory directive that all workers should return to the base of work, according to ITBPAP.

Plaza said PEZA is supportive of the hybrid work scheme and would call on the new administration to allow all RBEs to practice the hybrid work set-up.

“The present law says that 70/30 is the most we can provide as a leeway, and we have to let the new administration to address this new hybrid scheme to institutionalize the work-from-home program,” she said.

“At present, PEZA cannot change the ratio unless the laws will be amended to incorporate the adaptation of the hybrid schemes. In the future, we hope to follow the practice of India and the other countries and provide specific ratio on WFH and on-site work arrangements,” she said.

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