Manila \u2014 President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.\u00a0announced a temporary\nfour-day working week for several executive-branch offices from Monday 9\nMarch, in response to rising fuel costs driven by heightened tensions in\nthe Middle East. The policy, described as an energy-saving measure, will\nnot apply to offices providing emergency or essential frontline\nservices, such as the police, fire department, or other frontline public\nservices. He also directed all government agencies to implement\nsubstantial energy savings, aiming to cut electricity consumption and\nfuel expenditure by 10 to 20 percent. In addition, official travel and\nnon-essential government activities, including meetings that could be\nconducted in offices, were temporarily prohibited.<\/p>\n
The four-day office arrangement is laid out in Memorandum Circular\nNo.\u00a0114 and also references the CSC Memorandum Circular No.\u00a06 of 2022,\nupdated by CSC Memorandum Circular No.\u00a01 of 2025. The circular states\nthat the policy will remain in effect \u201cuntil repealed or cancelled\nearlier by the president\u201d. Agencies have been instructed to develop\ninternal guidelines to ensure proper monitoring and documentation,\nincluding attendance verification, as well as performance standards and\nmonitoring mechanisms in accordance with applicable laws, regulations\nand CSC provisions.<\/p>\n
Some government agencies have already begun planning additional\nsteps. Starting 13 March, the Department of Trade and Industry will\nshift its Makati City offices to a remote-working system. The move comes\namid concerns about the Middle East crisis and its projected impact on\nglobal fuel prices.<\/p>\n
For the private sector, flexible work arrangements are already\npossible under the Telecommuting Act passed in 2018, but business groups\nhave urged caution in implementing a four-day system. Philippine Chamber\nof Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Ferdinand Ferrer said the\npolicy should consider the characteristics of each industry and be\naccompanied by consultation with stakeholders and data to ensure that\nsectors with specific operational requirements are not negatively\naffected.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian proposed reducing the standard\nfive-day workweek to four days or expanding work-from-home arrangements\nto help people cope with rising oil prices. The PCCI emphasised that any\npolicy reducing workdays must be evidence-based and sector-sensitive,\nand should allow dialogue with the government, lawmakers, and labour\ngroups before broader implementation.<\/p>\n
This is not the first time the Philippines has adopted such measures;\nduring the global oil crisis triggered by the Gulf War in 1990, the\nDepartment of Labour and Employment also implemented a four-day working\nweek to cushion the impact of energy price spikes.<\/p>\n
(mkh\/mkh)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fuel-saving-amid-crisis-as-the-philippines-adopts-a-four-day-working-week-1772972233", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }