The Department of Education has allowed school-based personnel to work from home every Friday during the end-of-school-year break. DepEd Undersecretary Fatima Lipp Panontongan issued the memorandum on April 9, amending an earlier policy. The move supports energy conservation efforts.
DepEd Undersecretary and chief of staff Fatima Lipp Panontongan issued a memorandum on April 9, permitting school-based non-teaching and related teaching personnel to follow a four-day onsite schedule from Monday to Thursday, with work from home on Fridays. This applies from April 10 to June 5, 2026.
Panontongan stated, “In line with the department’s energy conservation efforts… flexible working arrangement adopting a four-day onsite work schedule (Monday to Thursday) and WFH on Fridays shall also apply to school-based non-teaching and related teaching personnel for the period from April 10 to June 5, 2026.”
School heads must ensure the arrangement does not disrupt essential operations and that proper staffing is maintained. The policy aligns with Memorandum Circular 114 signed by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, directing government agencies to adopt a four-day onsite work arrangement to cut energy consumption and fuel use.
DepEd had previously issued Memorandum 18 implementing the same schedule. The 2025-2026 school year ended on March 31.
