As oil prices continue to rise, Senate labor, employment, and human resource chairman Joel Villanueva endorsed the National Economic Development Authority’s proposal for a 4-day workweek.
“Implementing flexible working arrangements like working from home is one of the best interventions that the government can do because it protects productivity for businesses and workers’ welfare while cutting fuel consumption,” he said.
He also reiterated his demand for the Department of Labor and Employment to collaborate with businesses to implement the Work From Home Law passed in 2018 fully.
“The Telecommuting or Work From Home Law has been relevant even before the pandemic started, as skyrocketing fuel prices is one of the main reasons why we pushed for this to become a law. We have yet to see the end to the problems of traffic and high price of fuel, and WFH is one way for industries to adjust and cope,” Villanueva said.
Villanueva introduced Senate Bill No. 153 in the 18th Congress, which allows enterprises to establish alternate work arrangements, such as reducing workdays.
Villanueva supports 4-day workweek
Villanueva said businesses could impose alternative work arrangements under the proposed Labor Code modification as long as total weekly work hours do not exceed 48 hours and laws governing overtime compensation, night shift differential, and other associated benefits are followed.
A reduced workweek, rotation of workers within the workweek, flexible holiday schedules, and flexible time are all examples of alternative work arrangements.
If Villanueva is re-elected to the Senate, he has promised to approve the bill in the next Congress.
“Businesses and workers are already familiar with alternative work arrangements by this time. It is our job to empower them into contributing to the national economy without the burden of fuel prices and the daily commute. This also gives our workers the opportunity to spend their wages on needs other than transportation costs,” he said.
“This way, we balance the need for businesses to continue growing despite the oil crisis, and we help with the work-life balance for our workers,” he added.
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