The Department of Education has approved a four-day onsite workweek for its non-teaching personnel starting March 9. This measure aims to conserve energy amid rising global fuel prices due to Middle East conflicts. Teachers will maintain their regular schedules.
The Department of Education issued a memorandum on Sunday, March 8, designating Friday as a common work-from-home day for all covered personnel, signed by Education Secretary Sonny Angara. DepEd joins other government agencies in implementing four-day onsite work arrangements following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to conserve energy amid the Middle East conflict.
The policy applies to non-teaching and related-teaching personnel, including contract-of-service and job order employees, under the department's existing flexible work arrangements. Teachers will continue their regular class schedules to ensure uninterrupted classes and end-of-school-year activities, according to the DepEd memorandum.
The directive takes effect immediately and remains in force until lifted or revoked by the Office of the President. Alongside the four-day onsite arrangement, DepEd ordered all offices to adopt energy conservation protocols to cut electricity and fuel consumption by 10% to 20%. These include setting air conditioners to 24 degrees Celsius, activating sleep settings on office equipment, and turning off non-essential lights and electronics during lunch breaks and after office hours.
Personnel are encouraged to use stairs instead of elevators when moving between nearby floors, where practicable. DepEd also directed offices to hold inter-agency meetings, consultations, and conferences virtually, allowing physical meetings only when 'necessary or operationally indispensable.' Official travel will be restricted to essential or critical functions that cannot be carried out through virtual meetings or electronic communications.
The measure follows memorandum circular No. 114, issued by Malacañang on March 6 and signed by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, which ordered government offices to adopt strict energy conservation protocols as global fuel prices surge due to volatility in energy markets caused by fighting in the Middle East.
