Employers are encouraged to set four-day workweeks to help workers cope with rising prices, the National Economic and Development Authority said late Tuesday as Filipinos struggled with soaring prices of fuel.
Adopting a four-day workweek will reduce fuel and transportation expenses for workers, said Socioeconomic Planning Sec. Karl Chua as he proposed the work set-up instead of increasing the minimum wage.
" 'Yung mungkahi po namin ay siguro subukan nation yung conservation of energy at isang halimbawa dito ay yung four-day workweek," Chua told President Rodrigo Duterte in a late night meeting aired Wednesday morning.
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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.
"Ang epekto nito ay makakatipid din, imbes na araw-araw nagco-commute, magiging apat na araw at ito ay makakatulong din sa pag-manage ng ekonomiya natin," Chua said.
Several groups have called for a minimum wage increase to help workers cope with the rising prices of goods, while the transport sector has appealed for a fare hike to address surging fuel prices.
While the intention is "good", Chua warned that increasing the minimum wage and minimum fare could lead to higher inflation which could be detrimental to the public.
"Higher inflation rate is a tax on all and leads to higher interest rates," Chua said. "Maganda po yung layunin pero dapat babantayan natin kung ito ay makabubuti sa ating ekonomiya."
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