Region 12 provinces, BARMM government adopt new work setup amid energy crunch
KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 11 March) — All the four provinces in Region 12 (Soccsksargen Region) have officially adopted a four-day workweek schedule as austerity and conservation measures amid the energy crunch triggered by the conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran in the Middle East.
The neighboring Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which is seated in Cotabato City that was once under Region 12, also observed the same scheme effective Wednesday, March 11.
In Region 12, the provincial government of South Cotabato (PGSC) announced on Wednesday the adoption of a new work arrangement in support of Malacañang’s Memorandum Circular (MC) 114 issued last March 6.
MC 114 directed all government agencies and instrumentalities to strictly adopt energy conservation measures amid the conflict in the Middle East, which started last February 28 when the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, which retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel and neighboring countries that are allied with the US.
In an advisory posted on its Facebook page, the PGSC said that offices under the provincial government shall implement a four-day onsite work arrangement from Monday to Thursday and a work-from-home setup on Friday.
Exempted from the directive are agencies involved in frontline and vital services such as health, security and disaster preparedness and response, among others, the advisory stated.
In Sarangani, Gov. Rogelio Pacquiao said that offices under the provincial government, except essential frontline and emergency workers, will implement the four-day compressed work week starting Monday, March 16.
Pacquiao also directed the provincial offices to adopt utility conservation measures, fuel efficiency protocols, reduced official travel, and increased use of virtual meetings in support of national energy conservation efforts.
He said the new work arrangement in the provincial government will be from Monday to Thursday, with office hours from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Several days ago, the governors of the two other provinces in Region 12, Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu and Emmylou Taliño Mendoza of Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato, respectively, separately announced the adoption of their new work arrangements in line with MC 114.
In the Bangsamoro region, interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua ordered Tuesday afternoon a four-day onsite work arrangement with a designated one day WFH setup during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, and the subsequent transition to a compressed four-day workweek with 40 hours of work rendered in a week in compliance with the rules of the Civil Service Commission.
“These measures are designed to ensure the efficient utilization of government resources while maintaining continuous public service delivery,” Macacua stated in Memorandum Circular 0049.
The circular directed offices that provide frontline, regulatory and other essential government services to maintain adequate personnel to ensure continuity of service delivery. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
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