President Marcos Jr. Considers Adjusting Government Work Hours in Metro Manila to Alleviate Traffic

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced on Monday that the government is evaluating a proposal from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to shift government office hours in Metro Manila. The suggested change, moving work hours to 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., aims to reduce traffic congestion in the bustling capital region. Marcos emphasized the need to consider the impact on commuters, stating that public opinion would be crucial in deciding whether to implement the change. In an interview in Taguig City, he mentioned, ‘We’re studying it. If it works, we’ll do it. But we have to, it’s not enough to talk to the traffic enforcers and the administrators of traffic that have made the suggestion. We also have to ask the commuting public if it’s practical for them.’ Marcos added that if the commuting public supports the new schedule, there would be no reason not to proceed with the adjustment. MMDA chair Don Artes previously suggested that such a change could significantly ease traffic in Metro Manila. Last year, some local government units in the National Capital Region experimented with earlier working hours, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., to similar ends.