A top official of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has announced that the final draft of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) on work-from-home (WFH) arrangements for registered business enterprises (RBEs) under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act, will be out in September.

Under CREATE MORE, new projects can be registered with PEZA without the need to complete onsite work, an option that is no longer limited to the IT-BPO industry, as RBEs operating in ecozones belonging to other sectors may also adopt telecommuting/WFH arrangements.

During her presentation at the recently concluded “Executive Policy Dialogue: Advancing Shared Solutions for the IT-BPM Sector” at Shangri-La The Fort, PEZA deputy director general (DDG) for Operations Vivian Santos served as one of the key panelists.

The forum, co-organized by the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines and Leechiu Property, featured legislative and regulatory initiatives that are critical to sustaining the sector’s growth and competitiveness.

Incentives tabled

Among critical issues addressed were telecommuting, work arrangement policies, policy transitions and incentives, operational compliance and inter-agency coordination.

Santos said that the draft guidelines aim to strike a balance between agility in work setups and compliance with the fiscal incentives’ regime.

“This policy marks a milestone in harmonizing flexibility in work arrangements with the integrity of our fiscal incentives regime. Through this, PEZA aims to provide RBEs with clear, responsive, and inclusive guidelines on how they can implement WFH setups while continuing to enjoy their incentives,” said DDG Santos, noting that the final IRR is expected by September.

The policy dialogue reaffirmed the commitment of PEZA and other key agencies to work hand-in-hand with the industry in crafting responsive policies that meet the evolving needs of global business while promoting an ecosystem where innovation, business continuity, and economic development converge.

Currently, PEZA is home to more than 1,000 IT-BPM locators with over $16 billion in export sales, generating more than 988,100 jobs, solidifying the sector’s pivotal role in driving inclusive growth and positioning the Philippines as a top global outsourcing destination.