BAGUIO CITY – The capital town of the province of Benguet will return to a five-day work week effective June 1 to provide better services to the public while still observing energy- and cost-saving efforts.

Mayor Roderick Awingan issued Memorandum 178-2026 on May 25, a copy of which was released to the media on Thursday, entitled “Lifting of the compressed work schedule and directing the continued adoption of the energy efficiency and conservation measures.”

In a message on Friday, Awingan said, “It is a clamor among the constituents and the employees because of the clientele of the local government who are mostly in the agricultural industry sector who find it more difficult if there is no local government office to assist on a Friday.”

“Starting this date, we will revert to our standard work hours: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This transition aims to improve service delivery, encourage improved coordination among offices, and provide better services to the public,” the memorandum read.

The order, addressed to all municipal officials and employees, said that while returning to the regular schedule, everyone is encouraged to continue to support the energy-saving and conservation efforts to promote sustainability in the operations.

The local government earlier adopted the four-day work week schedule after the national government ordered all government offices to come up with energy-saving and cost-cutting measures to prevent a possible bigger effect of the fuel crisis because of the war in the Middle East.

Awingan said they saw that the clients of the local government have different needs that will be better addressed with a five-day work week schedule.

“We understand that the national energy crisis is still in effect, but we also need to respond appropriately to the needs of our people that is why we opted to return to the usual government work schedule, but (we) will continue to adopt the energy- and cost-saving measures without compromising the services that our people need,” he said.