City Hall adopts 4-day work week setup

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Government has begun implementing a four-day work week for City Hall offices as part of cost-cutting measures aimed at reducing electricity consumption.

Mayor Nestor Archival signed Executive Order No. 069 prior to leaving for a personal trip abroad in late March, although its implementation was deferred until after Holy Week.

The pilot run is set from April 6 to April 17, 2026, and seeks to lower energy use while maintaining operational efficiency and uninterrupted delivery of public services.

The move follows a directive from Malacañang in March urging government agencies to adopt compressed work schedules to conserve energy amid rising global fuel prices.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier instructed national offices to explore alternative work arrangements, including shorter work weeks, as part of efforts to cut fuel consumption by 10 to 20 percent.

Cebu City’s adoption of the policy aligns with the national directive while adapting it to local conditions.

In his order, Archival said the four-day work week “may contribute to improved operational efficiency and reduced electricity consumption in government facilities while maintaining the required number of working hours.”

Under the arrangement, City Hall offices will operate from Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with a 30-minute lunch break.

Essential services—including health care, disaster response, police, fire protection, sanitation, and traffic management—are exempted and will continue under regular or shifting schedules.

The Human Resource Development Office, in coordination with the City Administrator, has been tasked to issue guidelines to ensure proper personnel deployment and service delivery.

Departments are also required to monitor electricity consumption and operational costs during the pilot period. The Department of General Services and other concerned offices will submit a report to the mayor upon its completion.

All flexible work time arrangements have been revoked to ensure uniform implementation of the new schedule. — (FREEMAN)