The Department of Health (DOH) has expressed support for the continued adoption of the work-from-home scheme as this can help lower the transmission of Covid-19 and other diseases.
"We agree to this. Marami na pong pag aaral all over the world ang lumabas na marami ang nag benepisyo sa mga (There are several studies all over the world showing that many have benefited from the) work from home arrangement," said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire in a press briefing on Friday, Sept. 16.
"Hindi lang po benepisyo ng ating mga businesses or benepisyo ng ating mga employers pero benepisyo (It is not only beneficial for businesses or employers but it also has benefits) individually," she added.
Vergeire said that the work-from-home scheme can help prevent the transmission of viruses.
"Work from home will help us not just during this Covid-19 situation but also for the other diseases as well because we know that more interaction, there is more transmission of diseases," she said.
"This will also prevent further transmission of Covid-19. And not just Covid-19 but other diseases," she added.
Aside from this, working remotely can also improve the work-life balance of employees, said Vergeire.
"Lumalabas po sa mga pag-aaral ngayon na itong work from home arrangements have helped our individuals who do this na magkaroon ng mas balanse (Studies have shown that work-from-home arrangements have helped our individuals who do this to have more balance) mentally, physically, and they have more drive to work," she said.
"So, kung kaya naman pong magtrabaho sa bahay ang ating pong mga employees at pinapayagan naman at ito naman po ay makakapagdeliver ng (if our employees are able to work from home and are allowed to and this can deliver) the same output as what they have when they are physically present, the DOH is all for this," she added.
Last Sept. 9, the Department of Finance (DOF) issued a memorandum "provisionally extending the existing work-from-home arrangement for the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) enterprises."
DOF Secretary Benjamin Diokno, in a statement, said it was "deemed necessary" to retain the 70 percent on-site and 30 percent work from home arrangement "until further notice from FIRB (Fiscal Incentives Review Board)."