MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced Friday that executive branch offices will adopt a temporary four-day workweek starting Monday, March 9, citing rising fuel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East.
The measure, outlined in Memorandum Circular No. 114, applies to government agencies except those providing emergency or essential services, including police, firefighters, and frontline public offices.
Marcos directed all agencies to reduce electricity and fuel consumption by 10 to 20 percent and to implement monitoring mechanisms to verify attendance, performance standards, and compliance with the energy-saving measures.
The circular also temporarily restricts nonessential government travel and activities, such as meetings that can be conducted within offices.
The four-day workweek will remain in effect “until lifted or sooner revoked by the President,” and agencies are instructed to align implementation with existing Civil Service Commission guidelines under Memorandum Circular No. 6 (s. 2022) and its 2025 amendments.
Marcos said relevant government agencies are coordinating to monitor the situation of overseas Filipino workers affected by Middle East tensions.