BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental will soon return to a five-day workweek.
It adopted a four-day workweek for over a month due to the surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections among its employees.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson will issue an executive order reimposing the regular number of work days. COVID-19 cases in the province are on the decline, said Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz.
The province has also been classified as “low risk” for COVID-19 by the Department of Health, he said.
Most of the capitol employees who tested positive for COVID-19 already recovered, Diaz revealed, but two new cases were recorded on Tuesday.
In preparation for the return of the five-day workweek, Diaz said measures will be undertaken to protect employees and clients. For one, the provincial government will set up desks outside air-conditioned offices, he noted.
Capitol employees will also take up office in non-air-conditioned areas of the building such as the third floor of the multipurpose building’s alfresco area.
In the four-day workweek scheme, provincial government employees physically report to work at the capitol from Monday to Thursday only. On Fridays, they work from home. This arrangement also covered provincial government health workers, those working in the Provincial Health Office and those whose services are needed on a daily basis.
In another development, Diaz admitted that the travel moratorium between Negros and Iloilo will negatively impact the economy.
Diaz said he hopes Iloilo City will be able to control its COVID-19 cases soon, as a lot of workers and businesses are affected, especially those who routinely travel to attend to their projects or for business transactions.
Commercial vessels servicing both provinces are the most affected by the ongoing moratorium, he said.
Despite this, Diaz said they still support the decision of the local governments in Iloilo. He recognized that the move will help them control the spread of COVID-19.
On Tuesday, trips between Iloilo City and Dumangas, Iloilo to Bacolod City were suspended after Iloilo City was placed under modified enhanced community quarantine.
The travel moratorium is expected to last until Monday, May 31./PN
