Palace Speaks on Marcos Jr. amid Proposal for 4-Day Work Week in PH
MARCOS JR. – Malacañang confirmed that the President will study the proposal for a 4-day work week amid the Middle East tension.
The current tension between Iran and Israel and the recent airstrikes launched by the United States (U.S.) against Iran alarmed the world. Countless Filipinos were left worried by the unfortunate tension that rose between the foreign nations. U.S. Pres. Donald Trump vowed to “annihilate” the navy and missile sites of Iran.
Unfortunately, it was previously confirmed by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that a Filipina was one of the victims of the tension between Israel and Iran. The Philippine government assured ready help for the overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who want to return to the country amid the war.
Amid the war in Middle East, concerns about the possible hike in oil prices immediately crossed the surface. The recent incidents also ignited the proposal for Marcos Jr. to implement a 4-day work week in the Philippines.
In light of the escalating tension between the Israel and Iran which could lead to shortages of oil supply that could further result to high-priced oil, according to ABS-CBN News, Malacañang officials confirmed that Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will study the possibility of the four-day work week in the government offices in the Philippines.
The move is in line with the pursuit to conserve fuel as the supply is threated by the crisis in the Middle East as per the report. According to Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro, while the Marcos Jr. Cabinet has yet to discuss the proposal, the Chief Executive is open to studying its possible advantages.
“At present, the President may study the suggestion, especially if the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates,” the Malacañang press official said.
Several individuals who are pushing for the four-day work week cited that reducing the working days in a week can allegedly lead to lower electricity consumption, an improved work-life balance, as well as ease traffic. However, on the other side, it may threaten the productivity in offices as well as the delivery of services.
The proposal of a four-day work week aims to reflect the pragmatic approach of the Marcos Jr. administration to balancing the efforts to conserve energy with the welfare of the Filipino government workers. Currently, no decision has been made yet. Once implemented, this can definitely bring a huge change in the traditional work policy in government offices in the country.
Indeed, a war between two nations will not solely impact the countries involved but several other nations. The current war between Israel and Iran led to the deathh of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei which was reportedly celebrated by Iranians.