Remote workers’ allowance sought

A SENATOR has filed a bill seeking to provide better incentives to remote workers in the country, in a bid to institutionalize flexible work arrangements.

Senate Bill No. 1739, filed by Senator Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, proposes to provide telecommuting workers with at least P1,000 monthly non-taxable telecommuting allowance.

He added that the bill seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11165, the Telecommuting Act, which allowed employees in the private sector to work from an alternative workplace.

“This bill aims to amend the Telecommuting Act to further strengthen and institutionalize telecommuting as a mainstream work option in the Philippines and not as a mere contingency plan,” he said in the explanatory note.

The proposed measure states that monthly allowances must not eliminate or diminish supplements, allowances, or other employee benefits serving a similar purpose.

Mr. Ejercito added that the bill proposes guidelines and safeguards to ensure that both employers and employees would benefit from flexible working arrangements.

“It promotes equity, protection, and productivity in a modernized labor environment,” he said.

The proposed measure mandates the Department of Labor and Employment, the Civil Service Commission, the Department of Finance, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue to craft implementing rules and regulations. — Adrian H. Halili