(Iginiit para makahikayat ng investments) TAX PERKS SA IT-BPO FIRMS

BINIGYANG-DIIN ng IT and Business Process Association of the Philippine (IBPAP), ang umbrella organization ng information technology (IT) at business process management companies sa bansa, ang kahalagahan ng pagpapanatili sa fiscal incentives sa paghikayat ng investments mula sa industriya.

Ayon kay IBPAP president and chief executive officer Jack Madrid, pinahahalagahan ng IT-BPO firms ang fiscal incentives na ipinakakaloob ng pamahalaan, at ito, aniya, ang kadalasang “tiebreaker sa kanilang investment considerations.”

“As a global leader in IT-BPM services, the Philippines finds its competitive advantage in the Filipino talent, our expanding digital infrastructure, and strong government support that creates an enabling and conducive business environment. It is the harmonious combination of these factors that allows the Philippines to maintain its global leadership in the industry,” wika ni Madrid.

Ilang IT-BPM registered business enterprises (RBEs) ang nagpasiyang talikuran ang kanilang tax perks mula sa pamahalaan upang mapanatili ang work-from-home (WFH) arrangement para sa IT-BPM employees, makaraang atasan ng Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) ang RBEs sa sektor na ibalik ang 100 percent ng kanilang operasyon sa opisina.

Ang RBEs na hindi susunod ay mawawalan ng fiscal incentives.

“The decision of IT-BPM RBEs to forego their income tax perks is a difficult interim measure to address the needs of their employees and meet the demand of clients who prefer WFH/hybrid work arrangements. As such, the industry hopes that the FIRB will soon reconsider its decision and rule in favor of the IT-BPM industry by allowing its players the privilege of fully implementing the PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) Letters of Authority (LOA) on WFH,” ani Madrid.

Idinagdag ni Madrid na naninindigan ang industry group sa kanilang posisyon sa hybrid work arrangement at sa legal basis ng pagkakaloob ng PEZA ng LOA para payagan ang 30 percent ng WFH hanggang Sept. 12, 2022.

Noong 2021, ang revenues ng IT-BPM sector ay tumaas ng 10.6 percent sa USD29.49 billion kumpara noong 2020.

Lumikha rin ang industriya ng 122,000 full-time employees sa kabila ng pandemya, na nagbigay ng total FTEs sa sektor na 1.44 million.

“Growth prospects for 2022 and the medium-term are as bullish if favorable conditions are sustained. To retain and grow existing investments and encourage inflow of new investments, the country’s regulatory and investment policies need to be clear and consistent,” aniya. PNA