Philippines Slashes Working Hours to Four Days Amid Middle East Situation

The Philippine government is set to cut office hours to four days in the country. The move is aimed at saving energy following the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, which is driving up global fuel prices. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the shortened working hours are temporary. He noted that the policy does not apply to emergency services including police, the fire department, and other frontline agencies that provide public services.

“All government travel and activities that are not essential are also suspended temporarily, such as study tours, team-building activities, or meetings that can be conducted online,” Marcos was quoted as saying by detikFinance, on Saturday (7 March 2026).

Marcos also ordered all government agencies to cut electricity and fuel costs by 10-20 percent. It should be noted that the Philippines imports almost all of its oil needs. With the war intensifying in Iran, the Philippines has been affected, triggering inflation that reached its highest level in 13 months in February.

“Brothers and sisters, we do not know when the chaos in the Middle East will end. We are victims of a war we did not choose and do not want. We cannot control the war, but we can control how we protect the Filipino people,” Marcos said.

Economists have noted the Philippines as one of the most vulnerable countries in the Asia-Pacific region to inflation and growth risks driven by the Middle East conflict. “The country is more prone to inflationary pressures because retail fuel prices are market-driven and subsidies are limited,” said Deepali Bhargava, Regional Head of Research at ING Bank N.V.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has warned that a four-day working week could affect the manufacturing sector, a pillar of the economy. “We have been operating with limited resources and further reductions in working days could affect our commitments,” said Perry Ferrer, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This article has appeared on detikFinance. Read more here!