• Philippine government temporarily adopts four-day workweek to ease fuel crisis

The Philippine government will implement a temporary four-day workweek for executive offices starting March 9, in a move aimed at addressing rising fuel prices amid global energy tensions.

Essential services will be exempt, and all government agencies are directed to reduce electricity and fuel consumption by 10–20%.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the plan, describing it as part of broader efforts to conserve energy and curb fuel usage following global oil price surges.

He stated: "Starting Monday, March 9, we will temporarily implement a four-day workweek in certain executive offices, with exceptions for agencies providing emergency or essential services such as police, fire departments, and offices directly serving the public."

Marcos also instructed all government agencies to limit electricity and fuel use by 10–20%, and to avoid unnecessary travel and nonessential meetings, including those held in-office. He added that the measure will remain in effect “until it is lifted or canceled by presidential order.”

The Department of Trade and Industry will begin implementing remote work arrangements in its Makati offices starting March 13, while the private sector may adopt alternative workweek schedules under existing labor laws.

However, the country’s largest Chamber of Commerce and Industry warned against applying the four-day workweek indiscriminately. The chamber emphasized that the policy must be flexible and tailored to the needs of each industry, urging consultation with relevant stakeholders and decisions supported by data to avoid disrupting sectors with specific operational requirements.

Chamber president Ferdinand Ferrer noted that reducing workdays in industries like manufacturing could affect production commitments, stressing that any reduction policy should be “evidence-based and sensitive to sector needs.”

Some officials, including Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, proposed shortening the workweek from five to four days or expanding remote work arrangements to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices on citizens. The government affirmed that previous trials using reduced workdays have proven effective in addressing energy crises.