Negros Occidental to revert in 5-day work week if COVID cases decline

Negros Occidental map

BACOLOD CITY — The Negros Occidental provincial government may return to a five-day work week and lift curfew by March if the decline in COVID-19 cases continues.

“We should start going back to how we used to live. I think we are at the tail end of the pandemic,” said former Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Abee” Benitez, provincial consultant on economic affairs, said.

The provincial government shifted to a four-day work week starting last year at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Inter-Agency Task Force has downgraded Negros Occidental’s COVID-19 alert level status from three to two until February 28.

Negros Occidental had 31 new COVID-19 cases for a total of 1,992 active cases on Wednesday, the Provincial Incident Management Team reported.

Curfew in Negros Occidental is currently from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. for minors, and 12 p.m. to 4 a.m. for those 18 years old and above.

Benitez said he believes that curfew should be lifted.

He said the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to shift to an endemic situation.

“COVID-19 will be part of our daily lives but it has been proven that those vaccinated will not be severely or critically hit by it, it has been reduced to an ordinary flu,” he said.

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