Palace press officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro maintained that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., despite his pronouncement to spend Holy Week in his hometown province of Ilocos Norte, will not be on vacation.

“Si Pangulo po, hindi po uso ang salitang pagbabakasyon. So sabi po niya, siya ay mag-spend ng kanyang Holy Week sa Ilocos Norte, kasama ang kanyang pamilya. Walang pagbabakasyon dahil patuloy po ang ating Pangulo sa pagmo-monitor at pagbibigay ng utos sa mga dapat gawin ng ating mga ahensya sa gobyerno,” Castro said in a Palace press briefing on Tuesday.

However, Castro did not reveal when the President will be leaving for Ilocos Norte.

President Marcos Jr., in an ambush interview on the sidelines of the opening of the Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Contract Package 4 (Aliaga–Cabanatuan), said, “I will spend a few days in Ilocos Norte, and I will be back in Manila by the weekend.”

Gov’t work arrangement

Meanwhile, Castro told reporters that government employees will have a half-day work-from-home setup on Holy Wednesday.

“April 1, for all government employees, 8 a.m. to 12 noon, work from home. From 12:01 noon, wala na pong pasok,” she said.

For government-owned and controlled corporations, Castro said, “It’s within the discretion of company owners.”