ILOILO City – The city government will resume its regular five-day workweek starting June 8 after weeks of austerity measures succeeded in cutting energy generation and fuel consumption, prompting officials to restore full operations at City Hall amid improving conditions.
Mayor Raisa Treñas announced the decision following a meeting of the Iloilo City Crisis Management Council, which reviewed the city’s latest data and assessments before recommending the return to normal office operations.
“In our Crisis Management Council meeting today, after reviewing the data and assessing the situation, the council recommended that we return to the regular five-day workweek effective June 8, 2026,” Treñas said.
The city had adopted austerity measures as part of efforts to manage energy use and government expenditures amid concerns over resource availability and other emerging challenges.
According to Treñas, the measures delivered encouraging results.
“Based on our monitoring, the austerity measures implemented by the City of Iloilo since the first meetings of the Crisis Management Council have produced positive results, including a reduction in energy generation and fuel consumption,” the mayor said.
With energy demand and fuel use declining, city officials determined that conditions had sufficiently improved to justify the restoration of regular government services, including Friday office operations.
“Because of these gains and the gradual return to normal conditions, we believe the proper time has come to restore regular office operations on Fridays,” Treñas said.
An executive order is expected to be issued to formally implement the resumption of the five-day workweek.
Despite the return to normal operations, Treñas said the city government remains on alert and is shifting its attention to preparations for the possible effects of El Niño in the coming months.
“While we are returning to normal operations, the council also recommends focusing on preparations for the possible impacts of El Niño in the months ahead,” she said.
Treñas assured residents that the city government would continue monitoring developments and respond swiftly to any emerging concerns.
“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and respond immediately to any developments to ensure the well-being and safety of everyone,” the mayor added./PN
