
No decision has been made yet on whether the Negros Occidental provincial government will resume its five-day work week, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Tuesday, December 28.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson had reduced the Capitol work-week to four days at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Diaz said the resumption of work on Fridays was discussed but it will be up to the governor to decide.
A close watch on the possible entry of the COVID-19 Omicron variant into Negros Occidental is up, Diaz said.
He noted that European countries are back to work from home arrangements to curb the spike of their COVID-19 cases.
“Four Omicron cases have been reported in Manila and we don’t know how widespread it is and how soon it will reach the provinces,” Diaz said.
That is why they do not want to rush on a return to a five day-work week, he said.
The four-day work week has not affected the provincial government’s delivery of public services, he added.
He noted that despite the four-day work week some provincial government employees have worked even on Saturdays and Sundays, especially in the clearing and relief operations in Typhoon Odette-hit areas.*