Marcos adviser: Work-from-home only good during a pandemic

Employees should be encouraged to return to the office as remote work options cut down consumption and slow down the economy, a member of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) said.

In a televised public briefing, PSAC Lead for Jobs and Go Negosyo founder Jose Ma. “Joey” Concepcion III said he had mixed views on having work-from-home or remote job options following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Kasi kapag work-from-home tayo, anong mangyayari sa Pilipinas. There will be less mobility. If there is less mobility, there is less consumption,” said Concepcion.

“Iyong work-from-home, okay lang iyan sa pandemya, pero sa panahon natin ngayon, wala namang pandemic eh. So dapat tuluy-tuloy ang (we should continue the) encouragement to work-from-office para may disiplina rin (so there would also be discipline),” he added.

Marcos in July lifted the State of Public Health Emergency across the Philippines, citing the country’s maintenance of a sufficient healthcare system capacity and low hospital utilization rates even after the liberalization of COVID-19 health protocols.

“Siyempre (Of course) I understand that certain sectors, they can work-from-home because they are in the IT (information technology) sector. But I would really encourage that we, to stimulate the economy, we have to encourage more mobility,” Concepcion said.

“If there is no mobility, there will be very weak consumer spending and that will lead to a lower number in our growth of the Philippines,” he added.

The Philippine economy grew by 4.3% in the second quarter of the year, the slowest pace in nine quarters since the country returned to positive territory following the pandemic-induced recession. — DVM, GMA Integrated News