Presidential candidates on Saturday shared their thoughts about the proposed four-day workweek as they squared off in the first debate of the Commission on Elections.
Except for pre-election survey frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., all other nine presidential candidates joined the debate to discuss their platforms to lead the Philippines to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Should the measure be implemented, presidential candidates Leni Robredo, Leody de Guzman, and Ernesto Abella said safeguards should be in place to ensure that workers receive pay that is commensurate to their working hours even with the reduced workdays.
"Kailangan siguruhin yung take-home ng manggagawa hindi masho-shortchange, commensurate sa oras na trinabaho nila," Robredo said. "Dapat maging supportive tayo lalo na ngayon sa kasagsagan ng presyo ng gasolina."
"Pwede naman. Ang dapat gawin ay yung four days may overtime pay," De Guzman said.
"They have to be given commensurate pay even if they are asked to have lesser workdays," Abella said.
READ:
How About a 4-Day Workweek? NEDA Suggests as Oil Prices Rise
4-Day Workweek Gets DOLE Support, How Will It Work?
Sen. Panfilo Lacson agreed to implement the proposal as a "temporary" relief for workers.
"Ako po sumusuporta doon, imagine na lang yung isang araw na matitipid sa gasolina. Temporary lang," Lacson said.
For Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Sen. Manny Pacquiao, the adoption of a four-day workweek depends on the type of industry.
"I think depende sa industriya. May mga industries tayo na kelangan ng physical presence, for example, kagaya ng mga planta," Moreno said, noting that industries such as Business Process Outsourcing can implement a work-from-home scheme at least for one day a week.
"Sa akin po ay hindi po lahat, puwedeng gawing 10 oras ang trabaho kung magaan ang trabaho pero alalahanin natin may mga trabaho na hindi madali, yung magbibilad ka sa araw buong araw tapos 10 oras ka nagtatrabaho...Hindi naman lahat maganda mayroong pakinabang, mayroong di naman," Pacquiao said.
Presidential candidate Jose Montemayor said shortening the workweek could lead to "stagnation" of the economy.
"Kailangan ma-stimulate ang ating economy by consumption. Pag hindi nagsisi-circulate ang pera sa ating bansa lalong magiging stagnant," he said.
For presidential candidates Norberto Gonzales and Faisal Mangondato, the proposal should be studied first.
"Titingnan natin muna yan mabuti kung bakit," Gonzales said.
"Kailangan pag-aralan yung ganyang proposal dahil lahat ng ginagawa sa atin nakasaad sa batas," Mangondato said.
The National Economic and Development Authority proposed the adoption of a four-day workweek to reduce fuel and transportation expenses for workers as Filipinos struggled with soaring prices of oil.
Based on NEDA's proposal, workers still need to render 40 hours of work per week but instead of five-day workweeks made up of eight-hour shifts per day, it would be adjusted to four-day workweeks with 10-hour shifts each day.
The suggestion has received support from both the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Energy.
ALSO READ:
More Working Hours Equals More Productivity?
Iloilo City Government to Adopt 4-Day Workweek