MANILA - Locators in economic zones registered under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority could still implement a 70-30 hybrid work arrangement, PEZA Director-General Charito Plaza said Friday.

All firms registered under PEZA, whether involved in business process outsourcing or not, could allow 30 percent of their workers to continue working from home, Plaza told ANC.

This, after the Fiscal Incentives Board (FIRB), denied the request of IT-Business Process Management (IT-BPM), which includes BPOs, to extend the remote work arrangement implemented during the pandemic.

According to the FIRB, IT-BPM workers must return to site by April 1, Friday.

But Plaza said PEZA is different from domestic enterprises which can go back to site 100 percent.

"We have been using this policy of 70-30, meaning we’re back to the regular ratio starting today, where 70 percent, not just IT-BPO workers, but all registered by PEZA, 70 percent must go back on site and 30 percent are working from home," she said.

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Moving forward, Plaza said the new administration should address the dialogue on hybrid working arrangements.

"Let the new admin address hybrid scheme to institutionalize the program, especially the ratio," she said.

BPOs have claimed that workers' productivity did not suffer from remote work arrangements.

Organizations such as the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) are also pushing for a hybrid policy to keep the country's competitiveness.

• A fight for the fate of work: As gov't nixes WFH, BPOs say hybrid is the future

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