544 firms adopt flexible work week

MANILA, Philippines—More than 500 establishments voluntarily adopted flexible work arrangements, such as the compressed work week, in 2013 to improve business competitiveness and productivity, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said that a total of 544 establishments implemented the compressed work week scheme after consultation and in agreement with their employees.

Director Catherine Legados-Parado of the Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) reported that the top five industries that adopted the scheme were the manufacturing industry, customer service/business process outsourcing, services, retail, and export trading.