The City Government of Baguio will implement a four-day work week for most city offices starting March 16, 2026, following the issuance of Executive Order No. 31, Series of 2026 signed by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong.
Under the new arrangement, city government offices will operate Monday to Thursday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, allowing employees to complete the required 40-hour work week within four days. The policy aligns with Presidential Memorandum Circular No. 114, which directs government agencies to adopt energy conservation measures.
The move is part of the city’s effort to reduce energy consumption, lower operational costs, and support national initiatives promoting sustainability in government operations.
The executive order outlines several energy-saving protocols that all departments must follow while the compressed work schedule is in effect.
Among the key measures are:
• All departments must achieve at least a 10 percent reduction in electricity and water consumption compared to the previous year’s average for the same period.
• The use of air-conditioning units will be limited to 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, or when temperatures exceed 24°C.
• Except for essential services, all electrical equipment, air-conditioning units, and lighting fixtures must be shut down from Thursday evening until Monday morning.
• Computers, printers, scanners, and UPS units must be fully powered down and unplugged at 6:00 PM to prevent phantom energy consumption over the weekend.
• The use of government-issued computers for non-work activities, including streaming videos, gaming, or personal social media browsing, is strictly prohibited.
To further reduce energy use and operational expenses, the order also encourages a transition to digital meetings and remote coordination.
Inter-departmental meetings, committee hearings, and routine briefings are required to be conducted through authorized video conferencing platforms whenever possible.
Physical meetings will only be allowed when necessary, such as when confidential matters are involved or when the inspection of physical documents is required. When face-to-face meetings are unavoidable, they must be scheduled between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM to avoid extending building operations beyond the core work hours.
Official travel will also be strictly regulated under the new order to minimize fuel consumption and reduce the city government’s carbon footprint.
Local and out-of-town travel will be allowed only for essential functions directly related to the delivery of basic services or those required by law.
The order also encourages alternative arrangements such as virtual meetings or electronic communications when travel is not absolutely necessary. When travel is approved, the General Services Office will implement a strict vehicle pooling system to ensure maximum occupancy for official trips.
Several city offices and frontline services are exempted from the compressed work schedule to ensure uninterrupted delivery of critical services.
These include:
• City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and emergency response teams
• City Health Services Office (CHSO) and district health centers
• Public Order and Safety Division (POSD)
• Garbage collection and street sweeping operations under the General Services Office
• Parks management and sewage treatment plant operations
• City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) for crisis and emergency cases
• Selected personnel from the City Engineering Office and Traffic and Transportation Management Division for urgent infrastructure and road concerns
• Revenue collection and market operations under the City Treasury Office
• Sports Division personnel, including those managing the tennis court parking area
These offices will maintain their regular or specialized shift schedules but must still comply with the city’s energy conservation protocols.
The order assigns several offices to monitor compliance with the energy conservation measures.
The City Engineering Office and General Services Office will conduct regular energy audits and report findings to the City Mayor. Departments that fail to meet the 10 percent reduction target will be required to submit written explanations.
Meanwhile, the City Administrator’s Office will review official travel orders to ensure they meet the criteria of necessity and operational relevance. Random inspections will also be conducted by the Management Information Technology Division (MITD) and the General Services Office to check compliance with power-saving policies.
Executive Order No. 31 was signed on March 10, 2026, and will take effect on March 16, 2026, remaining in force until revoked or withdrawn.
City officials said the compressed work schedule aims to demonstrate Baguio’s commitment to sustainable governance and responsible energy use while maintaining efficient delivery of public services.
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