Duterte to discuss 4-day workweek proposal with Cabinet

MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to decide whether he will support the proposal to implement a four-day workweek scheme to help ease traffic flow in Metro Manila.

In an interview with reporters in Davao City on Saturday, Duterte said he would discuss the proposal first with his Cabinet officials.

“I have to discuss it with the Cabinet. I have to discuss it with Bello (Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III)  and the rest,” Duterte said in the interview, the transcript of which was shared with the media by Malacañang.

“I have not yet decided really. I just want to hear (their thoughts),” he added.House Minority Leader Benny Abante Jr. earlier urged private firms to implement a four-day workweek scheme this December to help ease traffic flow during the holiday season.

He also appealed to Malacañang to also study the implementation of the scheme for non-frontline offices of national government agencies.

Abante even cited multinational tech giant Microsoft as an example of private firms that implemented a four-day workweek scheme, pointing out that it led to a 40-percent boost in productivity.

“There is no harm in trying because, at this point, we should explore all possibilities to help address our traffic woes,” Abante said.

Edited by MUF