Government offices at the Cebu Provincial Capitol resumed a regular five-day work schedule starting May 4 after the provincial government lifted its compressed four-day arrangement.
The change was formalized through Executive Order No. 27, Series of 2026, signed by Governor Pamela Baricuatro, ending the temporary measure that had reduced the workweek in response to energy concerns.
Under the order, all provincial offices are back to operating from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., restoring the standard 40-hour workweek in line with Civil Service Commission guidelines.
The four-day workweek, introduced in March through Executive Order No. 16, required longer working hours from Monday to Thursday as part of efforts to cut electricity consumption.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Ace Durano said the decision to revert to the regular schedule was influenced by easing fuel costs and feedback from government offices.
“Well one consideration gud is that nikaog naman ang cost sa fuel,” Durano said.
He noted that several departments had requested a return to the previous work setup, prompting the provincial government to reassess the arrangement.
Despite the shift, Durano said energy-saving measures introduced during the compressed workweek will remain in place, particularly policies aimed at reducing electricity use.
“Ang aircons has to be set not lower than 23… kay mao gyuy pinakadako gyud og kaon ang aircon,” he said.
Fuel conservation measures will also continue, with government travel still subject to stricter controls and limited to essential trips.
Officials said the province has yet to determine the total savings generated during the implementation of the four-day workweek.
The return to a five-day schedule is expected to strengthen service delivery while maintaining efficiency measures adopted during the earlier setup. (SBA)
Photo courtesy of Cebu Province
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