Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said they support the work -from-home (WFH) setup for business process outsourcing (BPO) workers, stressing it will help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“Yes, we agree with this,” Vergeire said in a press briefing when asked for her reaction following the pronouncement of Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno that BPO could continue with the WFH arrangement.
Vergeire said,” because we know that more interaction [ would mean] there is more transmission of diseases.”
Vergeire also said that WFH helped individuals to be “balanced mentally, physically.”
” Lumalabas sa mga paga-aral na [Studies have shown that] these have helped individuals to be balanced mentally, physically and they have more drive to work. It will help us not just during Covid but for other diseases as well,” Vergeire explained.
On September 9, the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) temporarily extended the work-from-home (WFH) arrangement for the IT-BPM sector.
Diokno, who is also the FIRB chairperson, said in a statement that it is just fair to grant the extension considering that the resolution related to the WFH arrangement is set to expire on September 12.
He said the extension is applicable until they finalize a resolution addressing the issue.