Manila, other NCR cities shift to 4-day workweek
'We support the national government’s initiative to promote energy conservation... at the same time, we want to make sure that vital services remain accessible.'
'We support the national government’s initiative to promote energy conservation... at the same time, we want to make sure that vital services remain accessible.'
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced Monday that the city government will adopt a four-day workweek with extended hours, joining several other Metro Manila cities in a national effort to conserve energy amid rising global oil prices.
The shift, formalized through Executive Order No. 8, aligns with a directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued 6 March. The move responds to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that have destabilized global fuel markets.
Under the new schedule, Manila city offices will operate Monday through Thursday with extended hours, typically 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Operations will be suspended on Fridays, though essential frontline services — including health, emergency response, sanitation and water pumping stations — will maintain uninterrupted service through rotational staffing.
“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 during his “Talk to the People” broadcast.
He added that the policy aims to reduce fuel consumption, lower operational costs, and ease traffic congestion.
The cities of Makati, Taguig, and Mandaluyong have also begun implementing similar compressed schedules this week.
Makati Mayor Nancy Binay confirmed her city’s adjusted schedule would take effect 16 March.
“We support the national government’s initiative to promote energy conservation... at the same time, we want to make sure that vital services remain accessible,” Binay said.
Taguig and Mandaluyong officials issued similar assurances, stating that while city halls would close on Fridays, core functions and emergency utilities would remain operational.
However, the transition has met with caution from labor organizations. Carlos Miguel Oñate, spokesperson for the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, warned that a four-day workweek “is not a one-size-fits-all solution.”
Oñate raised concerns for employees under “no work, no pay” arrangements and argued that shifts exceeding eight hours should be compensated. “If you work more than eight hours — for example, 10 hours a day within a four-day workweek — the extra two hours should be considered overtime and paid accordingly,” he said.
Domagoso encouraged private businesses and households in Manila to consider their own energy-saving measures. “The global situation is very difficult, so we need to help each other and be united,” he said.
