IN business group, workers oppose 4-day work week

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

LAOAG CITY—Local business groups and workers here have opposed a measure in Congress to allow four-day workweek by increasing the normal daily work hours.

If House Bill (HB) 6152 becomes a law, companies will reduce the number of workdays by increasing the usual eight-hour workday to a 10- or 12-hour workday.

Ricardo Tolentino, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)-Ilocos Norte chapter expressed concerns that this may have a negative impact on the productivity of small businesses and local work force as well.

While acknowledging that the compressed four-day work week could help solve heavy traffic in Metro Manila, Ricardo pointed out it is just a “band-aid solution” to the problem.

“What we need is a long-term solution to traffic. Reducing the number of days to work is just a band-aid solution. It is not good for business and the marginalized earners who need to work daily to make ends meet,” he explained.

Under the Labor Code, a normal work week comprises of 40 to 48 hours and five-six days.

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading the measure seeking to institutionalize a “compressed work week scheme”. The scheme calls for packing the 48-hour work week into four days. The measure garnered 266 votes with no dissent or abstention.

Mr. Tolentino said will meet with the local business sector in the province to tackle the issue.

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