President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday ordered the temporary implementation of a four-day workweek in selected executive branch offices starting Monday, March 9, as the government moves to cushion the impact of rising oil prices linked to the Middle East crisis.
In a video message, President Marcos said the measure is intended to help reduce fuel consumption and electricity use in government operations as global oil prices climb following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments.
“Starting Monday, March 9, we will temporarily implement a four-day work week in certain executive offices,” he said in Tagalog.
“This does not include those who provide emergency or essential services, such as police, firefighters, and offices that provide frontline services to the public,” the President added.
Under the directive, some offices in the executive branch will shift to a four-day workweek, while agencies providing emergency and frontline services will remain on regular operations.
President Marcos also mentioned there will be “temporary bans on non-essential government travel and activities, such as study tours, team-building activities, or meetings that can be conducted online.”
The order forms part of a broader set of measures announced by Chief Executive to mitigate the effects of the expected spike in domestic fuel prices next week.
President Marcos said fuel prices in the Philippines are expected to rise next week, with gasoline projected to increase by P7.48 per liter, diesel by P17.28 per liter, and kerosene by P32.35 per liter.
