Marcos Is Actually Considering a 4-Day Workweek — But There's a Catch
President Marcos is open to studying a 4-day workweek for government offices, but only as a fuel-saving measure if Middle East tensions keep driving oil prices up.
Four-day workweek sa Pilipinas? It might actually happen — but don't get too excited just yet. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is reportedly open to studying the proposal, though it's less about work-life balance and more about surviving sky-high oil prices.
The idea was floated by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who suggested that cutting the number of working days or expanding work-from-home setups could help cushion the blow of surging fuel costs triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. It's a practical suggestion given that commuting costs eat up a huge chunk of Filipino workers' budgets.
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed the Palace is open to the idea, but noted it's contingent on the geopolitical situation. "That suggestion could be suggested by the president, especially if the Israel-Iran issue would worsen. But for now, that isn't being talked about yet," she said in a Wednesday press conference.
There's actually already a legal framework for this. Flexible work arrangements for government employees are covered under CSC Memorandum Circular 6, while private sector workers have the Telecommuting Act (RA 11165). So the infrastructure for a compressed workweek technically exists — it just needs the political push.
Marcos earlier this week urged Filipinos to brace for the economic impact of the Middle East conflict, though he assured that the country has a 50-to-60-day oil supply. The government is also preparing contingency plans in case crude oil prices breach $80 per barrel. For now, the 4-day workweek remains a "break glass in case of emergency" option — but at least it's on the table.
Source: The Manila Times
