Ang Pahayagan

ZAMBALES — The provincial government of Zambales has implemented a four-day workweek program following the release of Memorandum Circular No. 114 by Malacañang, which urges national and local government units to adopt energy conservation measures amid rising global oil prices brought about by the ongoing Middle East crisis.

Through Executive Order No. 1, series of 2026, Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. directed the implementation of energy-saving initiatives and flexible work arrangements aimed at reducing electricity and fuel consumption while promoting the efficient use of government resources.

The order, signed on March 9, applies to all provincial government offices and instrumentalities in Zambales.

Under the executive order, government offices will adopt a four-day workweek from Monday to Thursday, with office hours set from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fridays will be designated as work-from-home days to allow personnel to perform their tasks remotely while maintaining productivity and operational continuity.

However, the governor ordered the Provincial Engineering Office and the province’s four hospital units to maintain their regular on-site operations from Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of essential services.

The provincial government’s Accounting, Treasury, General Services, and Disaster Management offices were also directed to maintain a skeleton workforce on Fridays, with a designated duty officer to ensure continued operations.

Aside from the adjusted work schedule, the executive order encourages government offices to adopt virtual meetings as the default mode for conferences, consultations, and coordination whenever feasible.

Official travel, as well as out-of-town trainings and seminars, will also be limited to activities deemed absolutely necessary. Government offices were further directed to consolidate trips and optimize vehicle routes to help minimize fuel consumption.

Governor Ebdane also expressed hope that municipal governments in the province will adopt similar measures and implement their own energy conservation programs.

In the capital town of Iba, Mayor Irenea Maniquiz-Binan issued Executive Order No. 33 adjusting the work schedule of municipal employees to 10 hours daily from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday, with Friday designated as a non-working day.

Despite the new schedule, frontline service offices in Iba will remain open from Monday to Friday through a rotation system and skeleton workforce to ensure uninterrupted public services.

Meanwhile, the municipality of Masinloc has also adopted a similar arrangement through Executive Order No. 12 signed by Mayor Hazel Lim, which implements a 10-hour workday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday, without a noon break.

Lim said offices and units that provide essential, emergency, and 24/7 services will continue operating on Fridays and weekends with personnel distributed through shifting schedules.

The four-day workweek arrangement is expected to reduce the municipal government’s weekly fuel and electricity consumption by approximately 15 to 20 percent, according to Lim. (Taktikom News and Features)