CAPIZ – The Provincial Government of Capiz has reinstated a four-day compressed work week for its employees as the province prepares for the worsening effects of the Super El Niño phenomenon.
Under Memorandum Order No. 211, series of 2026, issued in accordance with Memorandum Circular No. 114, series of 2026, from the Office of the President, provincial government employees will report for work from Monday to Thursday to complete the required 40-hour workweek.
Government offices will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break, to accommodate the compressed schedule.
However, frontline personnel directly involved in providing healthcare services will continue observing their regular work schedules to ensure uninterrupted delivery of essential medical services.
Administrative personnel in provincial hospitals will also follow the four-day work arrangement while maintaining support services.
The policy comes as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warns of worsening dry conditions associated with the intensifying El Niño phenomenon, which is expected to peak in the coming months.
In its latest climate outlook, PAGASA identified Capiz as among 12 areas nationwide projected to experience full-scale meteorological drought by the end of November.
The other affected areas include Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes in the Bicol Region; Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Samar, Leyte, Tacloban City and Southern Leyte in the Visayas; and Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City and Isabela City in Mindanao.
The prolonged dry spell threatens water supplies, agricultural production and power resources across several parts of the country, with its effects expected to persist into 2027.
Provincial authorities urged residents and various sectors to conserve water and adopt measures to minimize resource consumption as Capiz braces for the worsening drought conditions./PN
