NO, NOT FOREIGN INVESTORS, AMERICAN INVESTORS IN THE PHILIPPINES: THEY DOMINATE THE SCENES, AND THEIR MILITARY IS PEEING ON FILIPINO POLITICIANS HEADS, FROM THE PRESIDENT DOWNWARDS. BBM MUST GO WHERE HE BELONGS TO: HAWAII.

 February 21, 2025

Reference: Mylene Cabalona, BIEN President, 09081608123

No More Sellout: Filipino BPO Workers Unite Against “CREATE MORE” Exploitation

The BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN Philippines) calls for wage increase and tax holidays for employees instead of corporate tax incentives provided by the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the CREATE MORE Act.  Instead of finding ways to increase BPO workers’ salaries, Marcos Jr. has signed the rules and regulations that pave the way for more profits of BPO companies. 

Secretary Frederick Go’s announcement of government roadshows to promote these so-called “updates” belies the true intent: to further entrench an exploitative framework that favors multinational BPO companies at the expense of our labor.

Under the IRR of CREATE MORE, investment promotion agencies now have the leeway to enforce a 50% work-from-home arrangement—a policy that, rather than protecting workers, merely serves as a convenient excuse for companies to slash operating costs, passing the burden to employees. With the shift of registration from PEZA to the Board of Investments (BOI), where restrictions are lifted and tax incentives abound, foreign investors are given a free hand to maximize profits. Companies are set to profit from reduced expenses, yet the cost of utilities and the erosion of wages continue to hit the very backbone of the industry.

This policy isn’t about modernizing work—it’s about selling out Filipino labor for cheap, substandard jobs while our government turns a blind eye on their welfare. Filipino BPO workers pay their taxes, and contribute to the state coffers, while they are denied living wages and public services. The administration’s allegiance to foreign investors over the rights and welfare of workers is now clearer than ever.

BIEN Philippines calls upon all BPO workers to reject this scheme of corporate exploitation. We must unite, organize, and fight back. Our strength lies in our collective action. The success of the BPO industry has always depended on the hard work of Filipino labor, and it is high time that we demand a 36K National Entry Level Wage, a comprehensive Magna Carta for BPO Workers, and robust labor standards that safeguard our rights and livelihoods.

The struggle for dignity and fairness in the workplace is not negotiable. Our fight is just—and we will not be silenced.###