ILOILO City — The Iloilo City Government will continue its four-day onsite workweek and one-day work-from-home arrangement after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) clarified that local governments cannot unilaterally return to a full five-day onsite work schedule while existing national directives remain in force.
The clarification effectively halted a recommendation by the Iloilo City Crisis Management Council (ICCMC) to restore a regular five-day onsite workweek after concluding that conditions in the city had already normalized.
Mayor Raisa Treñas sought a legal opinion from DILG Region 6 on whether the city could legally revert to a full onsite work arrangement. In response, the DILG said the current setup remains consistent with existing national policies, particularly Memorandum Circular No. 114 and Executive Order No. 110, which continue to govern alternative work arrangements in government offices.
According to the DILG, while local government units have discretion in managing operations, a return to a full five-day onsite workweek would be inconsistent with the framework established under Executive Order No. 110.
“The DILG Legal Opinion further reiterated that the authority to revert to a five-day workweek solely rests with the President,” the city government said.
The legal guidance came after the ICCMC reviewed the city’s current situation and recommended the resumption of a regular workweek, citing normalized conditions.
Despite the assessment, City Hall said it would continue to prioritize compliance with national policies and directives while awaiting further instructions.
The city government also assured residents that public services will remain uninterrupted despite the continued implementation of the alternative work scheme./PN
