BACOLOD City — The Bacolod City Government will officially resume its regular five-day workweek beginning May 15, following the signing of an executive order by Mayor Greg Gasataya.
In a media interview on the morning of May 11, Gasataya said he would sign the executive order later that afternoon to restore Friday office operations at City Hall and other city government offices.
The move follows discussions over the weekend with Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla Jr., as the city transitions from the temporary four-day workweek implemented earlier this year.
Gasataya said all city government offices will return to operating from Monday to Friday in accordance with Civil Service Commission rules and existing laws.
The mayor said the decision was prompted by improving economic conditions, particularly the gradual stabilization of fuel prices and transportation costs, which had previously led the city to adopt a compressed work schedule.
He said the city government determined that restoring the regular workweek would enhance public service delivery, improve coordination among offices, and make government services more accessible to residents.
The policy covers all departments, offices, and units under the Bacolod City Government, including permanent and casual plantilla employees, unless exempted by law or specific directives.
Department heads were directed to ensure a smooth transition from the four-day workweek while maintaining uninterrupted delivery of essential services.
Despite the return to a five-day schedule, Gasataya said the city will continue implementing low-cost energy efficiency and conservation measures under Executive Order No. 11, Series of 2026, issued on February 13.
Bacolod previously adopted a four-day workweek, from Monday to Thursday, through Executive Order No. 015, Series of 2026, citing operational efficiency, energy conservation, and employee welfare.
The resumption of Friday work is expected to normalize government transactions and improve public access to city services.
Gasataya noted that more residents visited City Hall last Friday to conduct transactions, even as some offices operated with only a skeletal workforce./PN
