Pacquiao supports hybrid work setup while Philippines recovers from COVID-19
MANILA, Philippines — Boxing icon-turned-presidential aspirant Manny Pacquiao said he supports the hybrid work arrangement while the country recovers from the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Sa ngayon for recovery lang muna, okay ako dyan sa hybrid setup,” Pacquiao told Radyo Singko Thursday.
(Right now while we are recovering, I am okay with hybrid setup.)
“Kailangan huwag pilitin dahil andyan pa 'yung COVID-19. So habang nag-re-recover ganoon na lang muna ang setup natin para makapag-trabaho din naman 'yung iba kahit sa bahay,” he added.
(We cannot force employees [to return to their offices] because COVID-19 is still present. So while we are recovering, we can do that setup so people can work in their homes.)
Vice President Leni Robredo earlier said there is a need to institutionalize the remote working arrangement.
“If there is anything we learn from this pandemic, work from home gives birth to more productive people. I have seen that in our own office and to many of our workforce. It is in fact safer and as you have said, more preferable,” the presidential bet said during her dialogue with the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines last month.
The Fiscal Incentives Review Board recently denied the request of many companies in the outsourcing sector to allow their employees to work from home for much longer. This means that Information Technology-Business Process Management (IP-BPM) firms located in tax perks-giving economic zones can only implement remote work for 90% of their workforce until March 31.
According to a survey conducted by a local company, 91% of 8,184 Filipino employees said they wanted a hybrid or remote work setup.
Four-day work week
When asked if he would push for a four-day work week scheme if he wins in the May polls, Pacquiao said: “Mahihirapan naman ‘yung ating kababayan. Syempre kung walang trabaho, walang sahod. Hindi enough ‘yung income nila para pangtustos sa kanilang pamilya. Siguro i-consider din naman ‘yun.”
(It will be difficult for the people. If they do not work, they will not earn. Their income will not be enough to finance the needs of their families. Maybe we should consider that.)
However, under the arrangement proposed by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua, employees will still work 40 hours per week. They will work 10 hours a day for four days. Chua said this is one way to conserve energy amid rising oil prices fueled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
"Kung dadagdagan ‘yung oras ng trabaho mo kada araw, baka di makayanan ng trabahante, depende sa trabaho," Pacquiao said.
(If they will increase the number of work hours, employees might not be able to handle it, depending on their job.) — Gaea Katreena Cabico
- Latest
- Trending
