Negros Oriental returns to four-day workweek amid fuel hikes
By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY — The provincial government of Negros Oriental has reimplemented a four-day compressed workweek as a temporary energy-conservation and cost-saving measure beginning Monday, Sept. 28.
Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria issued Executive Order No. 58, directing government employees to report onsite from Monday to Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break from noon to 1 p.m., completing 10 working hours per day and 40 hours per week.
Friday shall be the designated nonworking day, subject to service requirements.
Job order, casual and contract-of-service personnel shall also observe the compressed workweek schedule without diminution of compensation equivalent to five days’ work, consistent with applicable Civil Service Commission (CSC), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and Commission on Audit (COA) rules and the terms of their engagement.
Sagarbarria noted that the compressed schedule shall not, by itself, entitle personnel to overtime pay or compensatory time off.
Work beyond the approved schedule must be authorized and governed by existing rules, he added.
Provincial hospitals and health facilities, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), and crisis-response, emergency, security and custodial units shall continue to observe their regular work schedules.
Other offices may be exempted when required by service exigencies.
If a holiday or work suspension falls on a scheduled 10-hour workday, the 10 hours shall be deemed fully served, except for personnel required to report under an approved duty roster.
If a holiday or work suspension falls on Friday, covered personnel shall observe the regular eight-hour schedule, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., during the remaining workdays of that week.
A full-day vacation or sick leave on a scheduled 10-hour workday shall be charged as one and one-fourth leave credits.
The governor said all offices shall observe the prudent use of air conditioning, lighting, computers and other equipment, use virtual meetings when appropriate, limit official travel, consolidate trips, optimize routes, minimize vehicle idling, and monitor electricity and fuel consumption.
The Provincial General Services Office shall coordinate implementation and monitoring with concerned offices.
Sagarbarria cited Republic Act No. 11285, or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, which requires government agencies to ensure the efficient use of energy in their offices, facilities and transportation units, and in the discharge of their functions.
He said renewed increases in fuel prices and continuing energy-cost volatility warrant the reimplementation of appropriate conservation and cost-saving measures without impairing public service delivery.
In March, the province adopted a four-day compressed workweek to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices due to the conflict in the Middle East.
The province implemented the earlier compressed schedule on March 9 under Executive Order No. 28 as part of government energy-conservation measures.
The arrangement was lifted through Executive Order No. 38 in June to maximize operational efficiency, foster seamless interoffice coordination and ensure the optimal delivery of frontline services to the public.
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