• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
All offices of the Negros Occidental provincial government will observe the regular eight-hour workday of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., from Sept. 1 to 4, after Monday, Aug. 31 fell on a regular holiday, the National Heroes’ Day.
On the usual schedule, the Capitol offices and departments operate from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday to Friday, to fulfill the required 40-hour work week while reducing the government’s overall energy footprint.
Vice Gov. Jose Benito Alonso, who sits as the acting governor while Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson in on leave, issued a memorandum directing officials and employees covered by the compressed workweek to render eight hours of service for the rest of the week, consistent with Civil Service Commission rules on the reversion to the regular workday.
However, offices providing emergency response, disaster risk reduction and management, health and social welfare services, peace and order, and other essential services will continue operating on a regular Monday to Friday workweek.
Alonso directed heads of offices to ensure the continuous and effective delivery of public services and make necessary arrangements to maintain essential operations during the temporary work schedule.
Since March 16 this year, the provincial government of Negros Occidental has been implementing the compressed four-day workweek, a move aligned with the national mandate under the Office of the President’s Memorandum Circular No. 114 and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act. | GPB
