Fuel crisis pushes Negros Occ. to resort to four-day workweek

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The Negros Occidental provincial government will begin implementing a compressed four-day workweek on March 16 as part of energy conservation measures amid tensions in the Middle East and the resulting volatility in global fuel markets.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order Saturday pursuant to Office of the President Memorandum Circular No. 114 dated March 6, 2026, directing government agencies and instrumentalities, including local government units, to adopt energy conservation measures in their offices.

The order said there is an urgent need to enforce strict energy conservation measures to reduce the energy footprint of government operations and optimize the use of public resources as geopolitical tensions continue to push fuel costs higher and affect the national economy.

Under the order, all provincial government offices and departments will adopt a compressed four-day workweek from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Friday beginning March 16, 2026, until the directive is revoked or modified by the President.

The order said the schedule must still fully comply with the required 40 working hours per week.

Lacson said offices delivering essential and frontline services, including provincial hospitals, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Economic Enterprise Development Department, must remain fully operational to ensure uninterrupted public service.

These offices may still adopt the 10-hour workday under the order, provided they implement appropriate shifting or duty arrangements so services remain available to the public.

The province’s energy conservation measures include the efficient and judicious use of electricity and other energy resources in government facilities.

The order also directs offices to maximize digital platforms and virtual meetings, when practicable, to reduce operational energy consumption.

Government offices are also required to strictly observe energy-saving practices, including the proper use and shutdown of electrical equipment when not in use.

Official travel must also be limited to essential and indispensable functions, with offices encouraged to avoid travel when objectives can be accomplished through virtual meetings, electronic communication or consolidation with other scheduled official activities.

In Bacolod City, Mayor Greg Gasataya has also directed all government offices to immediately implement comprehensive energy and fuel efficiency measures in response to rising fuel prices linked to unrest in the Middle East.

The measures include limiting air-conditioning use, reducing unnecessary power consumption in offices and enforcing proper vehicle trip scheduling to minimize fuel use.

Gasataya said the measures are in line with an executive order he issued last month.

That order requires administrative officers to limit air-conditioning use to six hours daily, with a possible extension of up to eight hours at the discretion of agency heads.

Where feasible, thermostats should not be set below 24 C, and air-conditioning units must be switched to fan mode from noon to 1 p.m.

The order also requires offices to turn off lights, computers and other equipment during lunch breaks and after working hours, except in departments that operate continuously without a noon break.

The city government is targeting a 10 percent reduction in electricity and fuel consumption.

To monitor compliance, each department must submit a monthly written report detailing fuel usage in liters.

To further reduce electricity costs, the city will gradually upgrade government facilities to inverter-type air-conditioning units and LED lighting.

Offices are also encouraged to purchase energy-consuming equipment certified under the Philippine Energy Labeling Program.

Employees and job order personnel are likewise encouraged to use the stairs when traveling one floor up or down.

Gasataya said the elevator will be reserved for pregnant women, senior citizens and persons with disabilities, as well as individuals with underlying medical conditions and those carrying heavy loads.

The mayor also directed building officials to submit proposals to the City Planning and Development Office-Energy Efficiency-Conservation Division for the redesign and retrofitting of government buildings, including the installation of solar photovoltaic systems and other renewable energy technologies.

For government vehicles, offices must enforce proper trip scheduling to avoid unnecessary short trips.

The order also strictly prohibits engine idling while parked and vehicle overloading.

“This is our way to conserve electricity and fuel while ensuring efficient and uninterrupted public service,” Gasataya said in a statement, stressing the full implementation of the executive order.

All departments are also required to conduct awareness campaigns, seminars and workshops on energy conservation and environmental sustainability, particularly to promote cleaner technologies.

Gasataya is set to meet with department and office heads on Monday, March 9, to discuss the possible implementation of a four-day workweek in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The move places Negros Occidental and Bacolod among local governments adjusting office operations and energy use as fuel price pressures ripple through government services and day-to-day public administration.