Cebu City's four-day workweek pilot program has produced mixed results, with significant fuel savings but uneven water and electricity performance across government buildings, according to a report from the Department of General Services (DGS).
Water Consumption Trends
The DGS report, submitted by Energy Conservation Officer Marie Trece Flores and noted by Acting Department Head June Maratas, analyzed data from February to April 2026. Water consumption initially declined steadily from February 28 to early April, with costs dropping from P48,419 to P34,987—a 27.7 percent reduction. The strongest savings occurred from March 28 to April 3, when water use hit its lowest point, saving P7,842.
However, the trend reversed during the week of April 11 to 17, as water costs rose to P40,834, a 14.98 percent increase. The DGS flagged this as a major concern, noting that savings were not sustained and may have been affected by operational lapses after early April.
While the executive building showed relatively stable usage, the legislative building experienced a sudden spike in costs during the same period, resulting in a P3,474 loss. The finance office and Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) building continued to show inefficiencies, with a net loss of P3,576.63. The report attributed these issues to behavioral factors such as pantry use, restroom consumption patterns, and cleaning schedules, rather than infrastructure problems.
Electricity Consumption Declines
Electricity consumption remained lower across major government buildings in April. The executive building posted reductions of 21 to 23 percent, while the legislative building recorded a wider range of 6 to 28 percent. The finance/ABC building achieved the largest drop at 28 to 38 percent. Despite lower kilowatt-hour usage, financial savings were inconsistent due to demand charges, irregular operating schedules, and other fixed costs. The DGS emphasized that lower energy use did not always translate into reduced electricity bills.
The report also cited continued noncompliance in some offices, including inconsistent air-conditioning use, poor lighting discipline, and unauthorized appliances such as cooking equipment.
Fuel Savings Stand Out
Fuel consumption posted the most significant gains under the compressed workweek. Diesel consumption dropped by more than 50 percent in April, with weekly reductions of 51.71 percent and 52.13 percent, driven by fewer trips, stricter routing, and improved fleet monitoring. Gasoline consumption also shifted to savings, reversing earlier increases of 3 to 15 percent in March to a 7 to 8 percent decrease in April. The report attributed the improvement to tighter fuel management controls, including GPS tracking, trip ticket validation, and stricter vehicle deployment.
Peak efficiency was recorded from March 28 to April 3, a period that coincided with Holy Week and reduced office activity. The report noted this period, along with early fuel savings, marked the best performance of the program.
Recommendations for Sustaining Gains
The DGS warned that efficiency gains appeared to be event-driven rather than policy-driven, as consumption patterns worsened once normal operations resumed in mid-April. To sustain gains, the DGS recommended stronger institutional controls, including mandatory air-conditioning shutdowns from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., lights-off policies during midday breaks, and bans on unauthorized electrical appliances in offices. Targeted audits of high-risk offices, particularly the finance/ABC building and legislative offices, were also proposed.
Engineering interventions were suggested, including improved ventilation systems, plumbing leak detection, and sub-metering per floor to better track consumption. For fuel management, the report recommended maintaining current controls such as GPS tracking, trip validation systems, fuel card monitoring, and designated vehicle parking zones.
Policy Background
Under an executive order by Mayor Nestor Archival, the four-day workweek was originally set to run from April 6 to 17 as a pilot test. However, a subsequent memorandum from the Human Resource Development Office extended the implementation until April 30. The office also reiterated compliance measures, including the 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday-to-Thursday schedule, mandatory timekeeping, and a strict ban on overtime pay or compensatory time. Offices were directed to implement energy-saving measures such as limiting air-conditioning use from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Archival said the findings will guide future actions as Cebu City pushes for more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable government operations.
