President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is expected to announce on March 21 his decision on the proposal to adopt a four-day work week to help workers cope with the soaring oil prices, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Malalaman po natin ito ngayong darating na Lunes (We will know this coming Monday),” acting Presidential Spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in an interview with radio DZBB.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua on Tuesday proposed a four-day work week scheme to conserve energy and alleviate work-related expenses amid the series of fuel price hikes.

Chua, in a meeting convened by Duterte at Malacañan Palace on Tuesday night, said his proposal was also done in 1990 during the Gulf War and in 2008 when the fuel prices also spiked.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi backed Chua’s proposal for a shortened work week and the extension of work-from-home arrangement.

Andanar said Duterte is still studying Chua’s recommendation.

“Ito po ay rekomendasyon, ito’y suggestion para po maibsan iyong posibleng negative effect (This is a recommendation, a suggestion to alleviate its possible negative effect),” he said.

Metro Manila and several parts of the country have been placed under the most relaxed Alert Level 1 for the month of March.

Alert Level 1 allows all workers of the government and the private sector to return to their workplaces to stimulate economic activities.

On Tuesday, Duterte decided to retain the collection of excise taxes on petroleum products despite the nonstop fuel price hikes.

Duterte made the decision after Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III warned that suspending the collection of fuel excise taxes would reduce the total government revenues by PHP105.9 billion in 2022.

He instead approved Dominguez’s proposal to distribute PHP200 monthly subsidies to around 12 million poor Filipinos for one year. (PNA)