PEZA defers extension of 30% WFH arrangements for BPOs

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said on Sunday that the measure to extend the period allowing registered business process outsourcing companies to keep tax perks while under a 30 percent work-from-home setup was deferred until at least Tuesday, pending inputs from other government agencies.

PEZA Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Director General for Policy and Planning Tereso O. Panga announced it was deferred in ad referendum, along with another item which is the inclusion of ecozone logistics services activity in the Strategic Investment Priorities Plan (SIPP).

“The WFH 30 percent limit extension is approved in principle. (We) just need to revise our memo to include the inputs of the board,” Panga said, adding they will send the formal request to the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) this coming Tuesday.

“Work-from-home is a long-standing policy of PEZA and not just as a (business continuity measure). We will fast-track it ad referendum. No need for the board to convene,” Panga added.

Earlier last week, PEZA said they are planning to extend the period allowing BPOs to keep their tax perks under a 30 percent work-from-home-arrangement until March.

“The (Department of Finance) just wanted to make sure that ecozone logistics is included in the SIPP. The (Board of Investments) initially confirmed its inclusion under Tier 1 of SIPP, support to export activities,” Panga said further, in reference to the other deferred measure.

Meanwhile, the PEZA official said that thirty ecozone developer and locator application projects with a total capital investment P8.685 billion were also approved during the same board meeting.

Furthermore, Panga said the agency also received a legal opinion from the Department of Justice (DOJ) backing the validity of his designation as PEZA OIC, which is in concurrence with a previous affirmation by the Department of Trade and Industry.

“This landmark ruling by the DOJ can serve as a guide moving forward on the proper and correct legal interpretation of OP MC 1,” Panga said, referring to the presidential order which declared vacant certain positions in the executive department.

READ: Gov’t urged to revoke new WFH arrangements for BPOs