Escudero backs staggered work hours for private firms to ease traffic

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Sunday called on the private companies to adopt staggered work hours or a four-day onsite workweek to help ease Metro Manila’s gridlock, which costs the economy an estimated P3.5 billion every single day.

Escudero stressed that flexible work arrangements could reduce transportation demand, lower operational costs, and provide relief to workers as global oil markets remain volatile amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

“Acting this early as we anticipate what could possibly happen would strengthen the country’s resilience should the situation worsen,” he said.

He also noted that Congress has long implemented a four-day workweek for its personnel and suggested that extending similar arrangements across the private sector could conserve fuel, save energy, and ease traffic congestion.

Private sector participation, Escudero emphasized, would significantly amplify the benefits of the government’s temporary compressed workweek, particularly in major business districts such as Makati and Bonifacio Global City.

“These areas experience some of the heaviest daily traffic volumes, making them ideal starting points for mobility-oriented workplace reforms,” he said.

The call comes after President Ferdinand Marcos earlier this week ordered selected executive branch offices to implement a temporary four-day workweek starting Monday, 9 March, as part of efforts to reduce energy consumption and fuel use.

Memorandum Circular No. 114 mandates agencies to cut electricity and fuel use by 10 to 20 percent, maintain air-conditioning at 24°C, and suspend non-essential travel and activities.

Agencies can implement the four-day setup through a compressed workweek or a designated work-from-home day, consistent with Civil Service Commission policies.

Citing a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Escudero said that traffic congestion in Metro Manila costs the economy P3.5 billion daily—a figure projected to rise to P5.4 billion by 2035 if unaddressed.

“If we are losing P3.5 billion every single day because of traffic, that means Metro Manila is bleeding roughly P105 billion a month and more than P1.27 trillion a year,” he pointed out.

Even modest reductions in congestion can translate into massive national savings, he further noted.

Escudero also encouraged local governments and employers to coordinate area-wide mobility strategies, including synchronized staggered schedules, improved pedestrian access, and safer cycling routes.

He then urged the public to adopt energy-saving practices such as biking, carpooling, and using energy-efficient appliances at home.