Iloilo, Guimaras move to compressed workweek

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The provincial governments of Iloilo and Guimaras have adopted a four-day workweek for government employees following Presidential Memorandum Circular No. 114, which promotes energy conservation and operational efficiency across government offices.

In Iloilo, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the Provincial Community Action and Defense Cluster convened to discuss the implementation of the presidential directive and identify complementary provincial measures.

“We discussed and reviewed each measure one by one. We will implement the conservation measures to the fullest as directed by the president and integrate them with our own provincial-specific programs,” Defensor said in a statement on March 10.

He said the four-day workweek will include exceptions for certain government offices to ensure the continued delivery of essential public services.

Defensor added that the provincial government was preparing an executive order formalizing the work arrangement, which was scheduled for release on Wednesday, March 11.

The governor also highlighted other measures discussed by the cluster, including accelerating the province’s green energy program through the release of funds for renewable energy initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Government of Guimaras announced the implementation of a four-day compressed workweek effective March 9.

Under the arrangement, provincial government offices will operate from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

The Guimaras provincial government said several offices will be exempted to ensure uninterrupted public services.

These include offices providing public health and medical services, disaster risk reduction and emergency response, the PLEPS Task Force, frontline service offices, and other units that may require continuous operations as determined by the Office of the Governor.

Officials advised the public to take note of the revised office schedule and plan their transactions accordingly.

Memorandum Circular No. 114 directs government offices to adopt a four-day onsite work arrangement beginning March 9, 2026, as part of measures to reduce building energy use and transport fuel consumption, while allowing exemptions for agencies delivering essential services.