Next admin could revise PEZA laws for BPO hybrid work setup: DTI

The next administration could opt to revise the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) rules to accommodate requests of the Business Process Outsourcing to implement a hybrid work setup without losing their incentives, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Tuesday.

The government has been urging BPOs to ask their employees to work on-site or lose their incentives. But some BPOs chose to lose perks to continue the remote work setup, while other firms reported worker resignations due to the order.

Lopez said their hands are tied since the PEZA law mandated BPO activities to be conducted within ecozones.

"We want to really support them, that’s why we’ve extended [WFH] until March. But we cannot do so now...The next move there is the revision of the PEZA law within the next Congress," he said.

Another option is to register with the Board of Investments because the agency has "no limitations in terms of location," the Trade chief added. 

The BOI terms are embedded in the recently enacted Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE) law, he said. 

When asked what the next administration should focus on, Lopez said improving productivity and modernizing production system in all key sectors should be a priority.

This includes agriculture as well as the service industry, Lopez said. 

The Philippines will hold its 2022 presidential elections on May 9.