City hall, provincial capitol start four-day work week

The Iloilo City and the Iloilo provincial governments begin the implementation of the four-day work week today, March 28, 2022, in response to rising fuel prices.

Mayor Jerry Treñas issued Memorandum Order No. CMO-076 addressed to department heads last Tuesday, mandating the adoption of the temporary four-day work week schedule of the Iloilo City government.

Based on the memorandum, employees of the Iloilo City Hall will report for work from Monday to Thursday starting 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., or equivalent to 40 hours per week at 10 hours per day.

According to Treñas, the new work arrangement will help the employees cope with the impact of oil price hikes.

“In order to conserve energy and to cushion the impact of fuel price hikes on employees, the Iloilo City government hereby temporarily implements a four-day work week schedule, Monday to Thursday, 10 hours a day from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. effective March 28, 2022,” the memorandum order said.

But the mayor said the four-day work week shall not apply to the offices of the City Health Office (including district health offices), Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), General Services Offices, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), and City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) due to the nature of their work.

Aside from the Iloilo City Government, the alternative work arrangement in the provincial government of Iloilo also begins today, Monday.

Meanwhile, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. issued Memorandum Order No. 5 on Thursday mandating the four-day compressed workweek and the work-from-home arrangement.

Aside from the four-day compressed work week, some employees of the provincial government will also adopt the five-day workweek but one day will be work-from-home.

Despite the new work arrangements, Defensor said the provincial capitol will remain open for five days to ensure that the services shall continue.

“There are employees who will have a five-day workweek but one day is work-from-home. The work arrangement also applies to offices of the provincial government that are outside of the capitol,” he said. (DG)