House starts debate on BPO workers’ pay hike
The House Committee on Labor and Employment started Wednesday its deliberation on a bill seeking to increase night shift pay of business process outsourcing (BP0) employees from 10% to 25% of their basic salary. House Bill 2225 penned by Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu seeks to ensure that BPO workers are properly compensated for the risks they are exposed to in working from 10pm to 6am. At the hearing, Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) executive director Nicki Agcaoili said 65% to 70% of the 1.2 million BPO employees are working a night shift. Agcaoili said the group has yet to look into the measure, taking into consideration its impact on the business sector and the country’s BPO competitiveness. But he said the BPO industry welcomes all bills seeking to safeguard BPO workers’ welfare and interest.
