PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed major telecommunications companies to provide free services for overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East amid the ongoing regional conflict.
Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said it will revise its proposed provisional fare increase following the sharp rise in fuel prices.
On the other hand, the LTFRB is gearing up to roll out the government’s fuel subsidy program for public utility vehicle operators and drivers.
This as a lawmaker urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to offer free rides at the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) systems on selected days to help commuters cope with expected fuel price hikes amid the war in the Middle East.
For its part, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assured the public that its programs and services will continue despite the implementation of a four-day compressed workweek across government agencies under a directive from the President.
The Makati City government will implement a four-day onsite workweek at City Hall, with service hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Thursday, starting March 16.
The city government of Manila likewise announced its adoption of the four-day work week with extended hours for city offices, except for essential and frontline agencies.
Libreng Tawag Program
In a statement, President Marcos said telecom providers have activated the Libreng Tawag Program, which will allowed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in multiple Middle Eastern countries to communicate with relatives at home free of charge.
“I have directed our telecommunications companies to provide free communication services between our OFWs and their families here in the Philippines,” the President said.
“Through these efforts, we want to ensure that our kababayans (countrymen) can remain connected with their families, offer comfort to one another, and confirm their safety without additional financial burden,” he added.
Globe Telecom and its prepaid brand TM will provide users with 1 gigabyte of mobile data, 15 minutes of voice calls, and 15 SMS messages.
Meanwhile, PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications will offer unlimited calls per day, with a maximum call duration of 30 minutes per call.
Another provider, Dito Telecommunity, will allow free calls from any local network as long as it’s calling via Dito sim card user.
The program will cover Filipino workers in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, according to the president.
According to the President, the initiatives aimed to provide support and reassurance for overseas Filipinos and their families amid persistent concerns about the security situation in parts of the Middle East.
Public telecommunications entities will also establish free call stations in selected business centers in major malls across the country to allow families in the Philippines to contact their relatives abroad.
Mr. Marcos said the measure was intended to help Filipinos confirm the safety of their loved ones and provide emotional support during uncertain conditions overseas.
The Chief Executive is currently in the United States to attend meetings at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said Mr. Marcos was expected to call for peace in the Middle East amid ongoing tensions in the region.
Revised PUV Fare Hike
LTFRB chairman Vigor Mendoza II said the agency’s earlier recommendation was based on diesel prices at P60 per liter.
However, with reports that diesel prices could reach P80 per liter, a higher fare adjustment is not unlikely.
“Definitely, that is for sure. We want to prepare for this matter. The numbers definitely would not be the same,” Mendoza said.
“The moment we get our approval, it must be implemented immediately. We are still changing our numbers, so we’ll bring it up to the Department of Transportation today to discuss it with them. There is urgency due to the rise in fuel prices,” he added.
The program has a total budget of P2.5 billion, with about P1.3 billion allocated for LTFRB-franchised vehicles.
Mendoza said around 256,000 PUV operators and drivers—including those operating jeepneys, UV Express units, taxis, and transport network vehicle services—are expected to benefit.
Subsidy amounts may reach about P10,000 for modern public utility jeepneys, depending on the final allocation, while traditional jeepneys are expected to receive around P5,000.
The LTFRB is coordinating with the Land Bank of the Philippines to distribute the subsidy through cards that beneficiaries can use at partner fuel stations.
“We are just waiting for the funds to be released so we can deposit them with LandBank. Within the week, beneficiaries should already have their LandBank cards,” Mendoza said.
He added that the agency is reviewing partner fuel stations to ensure drivers across all routes will have access to facilities where the cards can be used.
Energy Conservation Measures
Malacanang has issued a memorandum directing government agencies to adopt energy conservation measures, including flexible work arrangements.
“The President approved flexible work arrangements for government agencies, including the DSWD. You can be assured that the programs and services of our department will not be delayed,” DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said Monday.
In line with the directive, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian issued a memorandum ordering the implementation of a compressed workweek in the agency’s central and field offices nationwide.
“To effectively comply with these national conservation mandates while ensuring uninterrupted delivery of our social protection services, the DSWD Central Office and Field Offices, including satellite offices, are directed to adopt the CWW (compressed workweek) arrangement,” Gatchalian said in the memo.
Under CWW, the standard 40-hour workweek will be compressed into four days, requiring personnel to render 10 hours of work per day.
The DSWD said several frontline services will remain operational five days a week to ensure uninterrupted assistance.
These include the Disaster Response Command Center, Crisis Intervention Program units, the Pag-Abot Program, processing for Minors Traveling Abroad clearances, the Walang Gutom Program and Walang Gutom Kitchen, as well as DSWD centers and residential care facilities.
Staff under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) at the provincial, city, and municipal levels are also exempted from the four-day workweek.
In the event of disasters, personnel from the Disaster Response Management Group will remain on standby for onsite operations.
“All offices providing urgent assistance will remain open five days a week,” Dumlao said.
She noted that services such as disaster monitoring, Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations processing, outreach to families in street situations, and minors traveling abroad clearances will continue without disruption.
The adjustment follows Memorandum Circular No. 114 issued by the Office of the President, which directs government agencies to adopt energy conservation measures, including a four-day onsite work arrangement.
Makati, Manila adopt 4-day work week
Mayor Nancy Binay said the local government fully supports the national government’s efforts to promote energy efficiency while maintaining accessible and reliable services for city residents and stakeholders.
“We support the national government’s initiative to promote energy conservation across government offices. At the same time, we want to make sure that vital services remain accessible to our constituents,” Binay said.
City officials assured the public that essential services will continue, and residents are encouraged to monitor My Makati on Facebook for updates on specific office schedules.
Manila Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso directed a condensed work schedule to align with national energy conservation measures amid rising global oil prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.
Under the order, city government offices will operate from Monday to Thursday, with extended working hours such as 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., while regular office operations will be suspended on Fridays except for agencies providing essential services.
“This is our way of responding to the call of the President and the needs of the moment given the situation brought about by the Middle East conflict,” Domagoso said.
The arrangement aims to reduce fuel consumption, lower operational costs and ease traffic congestion, while maintaining the delivery of essential public services.
Meanwhile, essential and frontline services will remain operational, including emergency response units, health services, sanitation operations, public markets, and utilities such as water pumping stations.
As such these offices will implement rotational schedules and staffing arrangements to ensure uninterrupted services despite the compressed work week.
Last week, Domagoso also signed an executive order to cut the city government’s fuel consumption by 50% amid the looming oil crisis from escalating conflict in Iran.
Likewise, offices are encouraged to optimize vehicle routes, consolidate deliveries and minimize mileage.
Free train rides proposed
Rep. Perci Cendaña of the Akbayan Party-list said free train rides could help ease the burden on commuters who are expected to be among the hardest hit by rising fuel costs.
“Kung kinaya ng DOTr na gawing pamasko sa mga commuters ang free MRT rides, kaya rin nating gawing libre ito habang may kinakaharap tayong krisis. Commuters will bear the brunt of the rise in fuel prices. Kahit papaano kung may libreng sakay, maiibsan nila ang epekto ng taas presyo ng petrolyo at mga bilihin,” Cendaña said.
(If the DOTr was able to offer free MRT rides as a Christmas gift to commuters, then we can also make this free while we’re facing a crisis. Commuters will bear the brunt of rising fuel prices. Having free rides, even just for now, can help ease the impact of higher fuel and commodity costs.)
“During these times of crisis, the government must hold the hands of our citizens,” he added.
Cendaña said the situation also highlights the need to prioritize public mass transportation over private car use.
