WFH arrangement for BPOs `extended until further notice’

The provisional green light allowing business process outsourcing firms to continue with the “work from home” arrangement, which is set to expire on Sept. 12, is extended until a final resolution is found, according to Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

Diokno, who is also chair of the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB), said in a statement BPO firms need to retain the 70 percent onsite-30 percent WFH arrangement until the FIRB conclusively decides on the Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s request to extend the WFH setup.

Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko said the matter would be discussed in the next FIRB meeting on Sept. 15.

“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 sits as chair of the FIRB Technical Committee.