DepEd implements 4-day onsite reporting scheme

In Mandaue City

CEBU, Philippines —  A four-day onsite reporting arrangement has been implemented by the Mandaue City Schools Division as part of its energy conservation efforts.

Beginning March 9, DepEd employees are required to physically report to their offices from Monday to Thursday, while Fridays are designated for a work-from-home setup.

Dr. Bianito Dagatan, Mandaue City Schools Division Superintendent, clarified that the arrangement is not a four-day workweek but a reconfiguration of work locations aimed at reducing energy consumption.

“We call it four-day onsite reporting because if we will call it a four-day workweek, we will add the number of hours per day. But we are not adding any number of hours,” Dagatan said.

He explained that extending work hours would defeat the purpose of conserving electricity.

“If we extend the hours— instead of ending at 5 p.m., it becomes 7 p.m.—there would be no conservation because we would only be increasing the time electricity is used,” he added.

Dagatan said the directive applies to non-teaching personnel and related teaching staff, including supervisors and principals. Classroom teachers, however, are excluded because schools must still comply with the required number of school days for students.

“The number of school days is crucial at this time since there are only about three weeks left before the end of the school year. The required competencies must still be completed,” he said.

Although principals are included in the arrangement, Dagatan noted that end-of-school-year activities may require them to report onsite even on Fridays.

“They are included in principle, but because we are very busy and have many activities, in the exigency of the service they may still have to perform their duties onsite,” he said.

The measure was implemented immediately after the division received communication about the directive on March 7.

Dagatan explained that unlike the flexible work-from-home arrangement during the pandemic—when employees could choose their remote workday—the current setup requires a uniform Friday work-from-home schedule.

“Now it is different because we are conserving energy. If employees choose different days, there would still be people in the office five days a week,” he said.

Employees covered by the policy are expected to bring home tasks that can be completed remotely. For personnel whose duties cannot be done at home, such as those assigned to records offices that receive important documents, alternative assignments will be given.

“It does not mean they will simply be required to report to the office and still consume electricity. Instead of having no tasks, we will assign them other work they can accomplish,” Dagatan added.

Alongside the new work arrangement, offices are also implementing additional energy-saving measures, including limiting the use of lighting by switching off half of the lights and regulating air-conditioning units by setting the temperature to 24°C and operating them only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Lynda Katherine B. Mecaros, UP Cebu intern / FPL (FREEMAN)