(Photo: Reuters)Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has approved a four-day work week for government offices starting on Monday in the country’s bid to save on energy as tensions in the Middle East push fuel costs higher. In a video message on Friday, Marcos said the shorter work week would be temporary and would not cover those who provide emergency services including the police and firefighters. “All non-essential travel and activities of the government are also temporarily prohibited such as study tours, team-building activities or meetings that can be done online,” Marcos said. The archipelago “tends to see a stronger inflation hit because retail fuel prices are more market-driven and subsidies are limited”, said Deepali Bhargava, regional head of research at ING Bank. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry had warned that the four-day work week could significantly affect the manufacturing industry, a key pillar of the economy.

Source: Bangkok Post March 07, 2026 12:35 UTC