A proposal to adopt a four-day workweek is gaining support in Davao City, as officials explore ways to cushion the impact of rising fuel prices on workers and businesses.
Councilor Danny Dayanghirang on Tuesday urged the national government to institutionalize a compressed workweek, saying a unified policy from Malacañang would ensure consistent implementation across local government units.
“It has to come from the President as a national policy. Once it is declared, local governments will follow,” Dayanghirang said during the Pulong-Pulong para sa Dabawenyo media forum. “It’s time to consider a four-day workweek because it will benefit the Filipino people, both in government and the private sector.”
The proposal comes as fuel prices continue to rise amid global supply uncertainties linked to tensions in the Middle East, prompting calls for measures that could help reduce transportation costs and ease the financial burden on employees.
Under the setup, employees would work longer hours per day to complete the standard 40-hour workweek, while reducing the number of commuting days.
However, not all officials are fully on board with the proposal.
Councilor Diosdado Mahipus urged caution, stressing that any shift in work arrangements must not compromise the delivery of essential government services. He said the city council would defer to the assessment of the executive branch, which is directly responsible for frontline service delivery.
“At this point, we rely on the judgment of our executive officials. The priority is to ensure that services to the public remain uninterrupted,” Mahipus said.
The idea of a four-day workweek is not new. It has been previously floated at the national level under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a potential fuel-saving measure during periods of high oil prices.
While it has yet to be fully adopted nationwide, the proposal continues to resurface during periods of economic strain. In the meantime, government agencies have explored alternative work arrangements such as flexible schedules and work-from-home setups to help mitigate the impact of rising transportation and fuel costs.
