DepEd: Flexible work hours for Muslim staff from April 3 to May 3 amid Ramadan

FILE PHOTO: Filipino Muslims pray inside a mosque in Cotabato City on April 3, 2022, as they start observing the first full day of Ramadan. Ramadan will end after a month when Muslims will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, an Arabic term that means “festival of breaking the fast.” INQUIRER/JEOFFREY MAITEM

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has implemented flexible work hours for its Muslim personnel in observance of Ramadan.

In a memorandum, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the DepEd “respects the rights of all Filipino Muslims to observe fasting during the month of Ramadan from April 3 to May 3.”

“In view thereof and as has been a policy of the Department, Muslim personnel nationwide who are fasting while working during the month of Ramadan are allowed to observe flexible working hours, which start from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and ends from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., without a noon break, to complete the eight hours of work,” she added.

This year, Ramadan started on April 3 and 1.7 million Muslims are expected to participate in the fasting from sunrise to dusk while praying and reflecting.

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