Delon Porcalla, Emmanuel Tupas – The Philippine Star
March 12, 2022 | 12:00am
Sen. Manny Pacquiao took up the cudgels for the country’s multibillion-dollar business process outsourcing (BPO) sector that is helping the economy, saying the government should not disincentivize them for allowing their workers to enjoy work-from-home arrangements.
“Our BPO workers are still helping our economy even if they are on WFH because they would still need to eat, spend money to relax, buy clothes, and many other things. They are helping other business sectors instead of spending most of their money on fares and fuel,” he said.
The presidential candidate made the remarks in response to the position of the Department of Finance through the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) that the government should take back the tax perks given to the BPO sector.
Pacquiao said that even at the height of the pandemic, the BPO sector has been one of the country’s primary economic engines, contributing at least $26 billion to the national coffers and employing 1.3 million workers in more than 1,000 companies nationwide.
Contrary to DOF’s claim, Pacquiao said WFH arrangements “have no or have very little effect on the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) because BPO workers would still require their services even if they are working in their own homes.”
Instead, government should better help MSMEs by optimizing the use of the Bayanihan 2 Fund that was allocated to provide aid for small business owners. He said that there are still at least P4 billion in unused Bayanihan fund that was allotted for MSMEs.
Pacquiao said that instead of removing the tax perks, the DOF should even encourage the BPO sector, especially in Metro Manila to continue with their WFH arrangements to ease traffic congestion and reduce fuel consumption.
As a compromise, the world boxing champion and icon said the DOF can apply its position on WFH arrangements in areas where there are no serious traffic problems, like those outside Metro Manila for example.
“It’s basic common sense. Why would you revoke the tax incentives of these BPOs when you know they are doing a great job in keeping the economy afloat and in providing jobs to a lot of Filipinos?” he asked.
Pacquiao said that with Metro Manila’s monstrous traffic going back to its pre-pandemic days and the skyrocketing cost of fuel because of the war between Russia and Ukraine, WFH arrangements for BPOs should even be encouraged.
Source: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/03/12/2166667/pacquiao-takes-cudgels-bpos