Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said he is looking forward to working with several government agencies to ensure that business process outsourcing (BPO) companies can conduct alternative forms of working arrangements, such as work-from-home while remaining competitive through tax incentives. Salceda mentioned the Department of Finance and the Department of Trade and Industry, which are the chair and co-chair of the government’s Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB)
Salceda said he hopes to work with the incoming Secretary of Finance, Benjamin Diokno, and Secretary of Trade and Industry, Alfredo Pascual, to ensure that the work-from-home arrangement and other flexible work arrangements are kept.
“Both Secretary Diokno and Secretary Pascual are keen on digitalization of the economy. And a natural consequence of digitalization is working remotely. We should not kill a development that is good for Filipino families, who have now reclaimed part of their time together thanks to flexible work arrangements.”
Salceda stressed the need to manage the transition of BPO companies from PEZA registration to the more flexible enhanced deductions system, either still as exporters, or as BOI-registered domestic enterprises.
“So, we need a concerted effort to craft the package and procedure for that shift, and to make BPOs understand this.”
Salceda stressed: “I have already pitched with the incoming Speaker and with several economists and incoming members of the Marcos Cabinet that one of the best ways to deal with currency depreciation is to simply earn more dollars. And the BPO sector is a big part of that strategy. We really need to allow them to work from home.”